UK retail sales fall for fifth straight month, their worst performance in 25 years

MADRID, 22 October (Europa Press) –

UK retail sales fell 0.2% the previous September, after a 0.6% drop in August, marking the worst-performing decline of British trade in 1996 when the Office for National Statistics (ONS) began collecting data. Since then extended for five consecutive months.

“Monthly retail sales volumes have declined since April 2021, when non-essential stores reopened and retail sales significantly exceeded pre-pandemic levels,” the ONS said.

Despite being the longest period of consecutive monthly declines in the historic series that began in February 1996, retail sales in September were up 4.2% from February 2020 levels, the latest month before the pandemic.

“Despite the easing of restrictions due to Covid-19 in the summer of 2021, retail sales in stores remain moderate,” said the British Statistical Office, in its favour, up 27.9% in August, up significantly from 19.7% in February 2020.