Latest data released by ONS - 23 April 2021
- Prior +2.1%; revised to +2.2%
- Retail sales +7.2% vs +3.5% y/y expected
- Prior -3.7%; revised to -3.6%
- Retail sales (ex autos, fuel) +4.9% vs +2.0% m/m expected
- Prior +2.4%; revised to +2.5%
- Retail sales (ex autos, fuel) +7.9% vs +4.5% y/y expected
- Prior -1.1%; revised to -1.0%
Slight delay in the release by the source. That is a sizable beat with non-food store retailing providing the largest contribution, jumping up by 13.4% last month.
Of note, the the clothing sector also saw a jump of 17.5% increase in sales volumes. That said, they remain 41.5% below the level seen in February last year - before the pandemic - just to put things into perspective.
However, ONS notes that total retail sales as a whole did return to levels higher than those witnessed in February last year, despite restrictions to non-essential retail in March.
That is an added positive ahead of the economic reopening in April and the rest of Q2.
