ONS news and archive

Retail sales fell slightly in February, but fashion and clothing sales up

UK retail sales dropped slightly in February as geopolitical uncertainty and inflation dampened consumers' desire to spend, though sales for clothing and footwear were up, new data shows. Overall retail sales volumes fell 0.3 percent last month following a rise of 1.9 percent in January. But February sales were still 3.7 percent above pre-Covid...

Retail

UK fashion sales dive in November

The UK saw a sharp fall in the sales volume of clothing in November compared to the month before, as lockdowns across the four nations hindered retailers' hopes for a pre-Christmas sales rebound. Clothing retailers were the worst-hit category, with a monthly fall of 19 percent, according to the latest figures from the Office for National...

Business

UK falls into recession for first time in 11 years

The UK has officially fallen into a recession for the first time in 11 years. The economy shrank by 20.4 percent between April and June compared with the first three months of the year, according to new data from The Office for National Statistics (ONS). It marked the economy’s largest slump on record. The figures showed that the economy bounced...

Retail

UK retail sales return to pre-Covid-19 levels

The UK’s retail sales in June returned to around the same levels they were before the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the industry. The volume of retail sales in June increased by 13.9 percent compared to May as shoppers cautiously returned to the high street. The increase in sales over May and June have now helped sales return to around the...