Retail sales volumes creep up

The increase follows growth of 1.3 per cent in the three months to October. Three-monthly growth in sales volume was 1 per cent for food stores, while sales volumes for non-food stores climbed 0.8 per cent.

On a thee-month basis, growth was reported in every retail sector except household goods stores, where sales growth dipped 0.3 per cent.

The non-seasonally adjusted value of retail sales for the three months to November was 3.4 per cent higher than in the same period a year earlier. The average weekly value of sales in November was£5.6 billion – 3 per cent higher than in November 2006.

Sales growth at food stores increased 3.4 per cent over the year, compared with 1.9 per cent for non-food stores.

Sales growth at textile, clothing and footwear stores decreased 0.7 per cent, the largest fall for this sector since October 2005 (-1.9 per cent).

Ernst & Young head of retail Gavin George said: “November’s sales figures are even worse than expected.”

“We are expecting a subdued performance for the sector over the Christmas trading period, but it’s not going to be the disaster that some are predicting. Strong growth from online and solid performances from grocery will compensate for poorer results elsewhere, resulting in very low like-for-like growth as a whole.”