Hot weather helps retail sales
The BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor for June 2010 shows UK retail sales values rose 1.2% on a like-for-like basis from June 2009, when sales had picked up 1.4%, helped by the heatwave in the second half of the month.
This June was slightly less hot, but sunny for most of the month. On a total basis, sales were up 3.4% against a 3.2% increase in June 2009.
Food sales growth was about the same as in May, thanks to the hot weather and World Cup. Clothing and footwear sales growth slowed, as many people had already bought in May’s sun. TVs benefited from the football and outdoor DIY and leisure improved in the sun, but at the expense of indoor homewares.
Non-food non-store sales (internet, mail-order and phone sales) in June were 17.3% higher than a year ago, down from 21.9% in May. But June’s gain was against a similar increase in June 2009, while May’s gain was against a weak May 2009.
