British retail sales volumes rose sharply in May, exceeding expectations and reversing April’s decline amid strong non-food and online demand.
UK retail sales volumes jumped 1.2% month-over-month in May, outpacing the 0.5% consensus forecast and rebounding from a revised 1.0% drop in April. Year-over-year sales climbed 3.2%, also surpassing expectations of 1.9%. Excluding autos and fuel, sales rose 1.2% on the month and 4.6% annually, both above projections.
The increase was driven by non-food stores, particularly department stores and computer retailers, alongside strong online sales. Retailers attributed the gains to promotions and unseasonably warm weather, which boosted demand. The three-month volume trend to May showed a modest 0.4% rise compared to the prior period.
April’s decline was revised upward from 1.3% to 1.0%, while March’s gain was adjusted to 0.7% from 0.6%. The data suggests a recovery in consumer spending after a weak start to the year.