Responding to the latest ONS Retail Sales Index
figures, which showed sales down 0.1% by value, and down 0.8%
by volume, Kris Hamer, Director of Insight at the British Retail
Consortium, said:
“It has been a gloomy start to Summer spending. Sales volumes
declined in June, falling for the fourth time in six months due
to the colder than usual June and high costs for households.
Categories sensitive to weather, such as clothing performed
particularly poorly. Some electronic categories had a better
month due to consumers replacing their pandemic purchases, and
sports aficionados upgraded their home entertainment systems to
better experience the excitement of the Euros, Wimbledon, and
upcoming Olympics. Books also sold well as consumers readied
their summer reads for the holidays.
“With the summer social season nearly in full swing, and a new
Government offering a fresh approach to the economy, retailers
are hopeful that consumer confidence will improve, and spending
will pick back up. The King's speech laid the foundations for a
more modern and dynamic British economy, and retailers look
forward to working closely with Government to maximise the
industry's contribution. This includes greater investment in
skills and training, and using reforms to planning laws to create
thriving town and city centres.”
-ENDS-
According to the ONS, on a
Year-on-year seasonally adjusted
basis:
-
Sales by Value (amount spent) decreased
0.1% YoY
-
Sales by Volume (quantity bought)
decreased 0.8% YoY
