September’s like-for-likes have risen at the fastest rate since January 2014, owing to the inclusion of the late bank holiday in the month’s figures.

Food – Up

Food sales increased as sports fans gathered to watch the Rugby World Cup, boosting demand for party food and drink. Retailers also mentioned a pick-up in demand for home baking as the Great British Bake Off spurred sales.

Clothing – Up

Clothing achieved the best result since August 2014 thanks to the later timing of the bank holiday, resulting in back-to-school sales shifting into September this year.

Sales also benefited from a soft comparable period, which were dampened by last year’s Indian summer. Seasonal weather this September brought strong demand for full-priced, new season ranges.

Footwear – Up

Footwear retailers also benefitted from the late bank holiday as shoppers displayed a preference for purchasing school shoes in-store, making the most of retailers’ fitting services.

Health and beauty – Up

Health and beauty sales growth slowed in September as consumers directed their disposable income to fashion and home.

Some retailers cited new product development and loyalty card promotions as key drivers of beauty, while health benefitted from a pick-up in demand for cold and flu remedies.

Furniture – Up

The bank holiday helped furniture top the growth rankings table as it experienced its fastest growth since April 2014.

Home accessories – Up

Cooking and dining accessories achieved its second best performance since its inception in November 2014 and gained momentum from students stocking up on kitchen essentials for university.

Toys and baby equipment – Up

This sector benefitted from demand over the bank holiday weekend as sales of outdoor toys were helped by dry and sunny weather.

Jewellery and watches – Up

Jewellery and watches was another category that lost out to spending on other categories in September, with it reporting a deceleration in its growth rate.