April retail sales rise as consumer confidence improves

Retail sales rose for the fourth consecutive month in April as consumer confidence in the UK improved.

Sales volumes rose 1.2% last month, up from a flat 0.1% increase in March, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In the year to April, sales were up 5%.

The uplift was driven by strong demand across most sectors, including food stores, household goods and department store retailers all reporting increased spending.

Retailers credited the uplift to the warmer weather, which the Met Office described was the third sunniest and warmest April in the UK on record.

Food store volumes rose 3.9%, with an increase in sales across supermarkets and specialist food stores including butchers, bakers and alcohol and tobacco stores.

Non-food stores saw sales slip 0.7% over the month due to weaker performances in clothing retailers, sports and gaming specialists and second-hand goods stores.

The latest sales data comes as the British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported consumer confidence in the state of the economy over the next three months had improved 8 points to -36.

Personal spending remained at +10 in May, the same as in April. However, personal spending on retail dropped three points to 0 this month, down from +3 in April.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Consumer confidence improved as UK economic growth picked up and geopolitical tensions eased as the US-China trade war began to cool, however, it remains far below levels seen last year.

“Overall spending expectations stayed at similar levels for a third consecutive month, while expectations of retail spend dropped slightly.”

Dickinson said the UK’s latest trade deals “with some of the world’s largest economies” will hopefully “drive further confidence in the outlook for the economy and personal finances”.

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