MADRID, 17 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The volume of retail trade in the United Kingdom registered a fall of 0.3% in the month of October compared to September, when it fell by 1.1%, reaching its lowest level since 2021 and in what represents a much worse evolution than expected. anticipated by the market consensus that expected a rebound in sales, as reflected in data published by the National Statistics Office (ONS).
According to retailers, the drop in their sales volume in October was due to the effect of the rising cost of living and reduced traffic as a result of wet weather in the second half of the month.
Sales volumes at food stores fell 0.3% in October, after remaining stable in September, while sales at non-food category stores fell 0.2%, after a drop in 2.1% in September 2023.
For its part, non-store retail sales volumes (predominantly online retailers) increased by 0.8% in October after a fall of 2.4% in September.
Likewise, the British statistical office indicated that, compared to the level before the Covid-19 pandemic in February 2020, total retail sales were 16.9% higher in value terms, but volumes were 3 .1% lower.
As such, retail sales volumes in October 2023 recorded their lowest level since February 2021, when there were widespread and extensive restrictions on non-essential retail trade in England, Scotland and Wales.
