UK retail sizzles in June
Warm weather boosts shopper numbers
July 24 2003
The heatwave across much of the UK in June helped to boost retail sales, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.
In value terms, retail sales in June were 7.3 per cent higher than a year ago, and up 1.9 per cent over May.
Sales of seasonal goods such as barbecues, barbecue food and drink getting a boost from the warm weather. Clothing and footwear also sold well in June, with the three monthly growth rates showing stronger sales for supermarkets, department stores and household goods retailers.
Although bookstores undoubtedly received a boost from sales of the new Harry Potter book, the fact that its was also widely available through other retailers meant that the book trade did not outperform the retail sector as a whole.
In the three months to June 2003 retail sales grew by 1.6 per cent compared with the previous three months, and by 4.2 per cent over the same three months in 2002.
Paul Clarke, national retail director, Barclays Business Banking said: “Warm weather has given retailers a ‘barbecue boost’ with more shoppers on the high street and more holidaymakers choosing to stay in Britain for their vacation. High levels of mortgage equity release, which have improved the sale of household goods, and strengthening consumer confidence mean that this upturn may be more than a one month wonder. But it remains to be seen if this is the start of a more sustained period of growth.”
