Jewellers across the United Kingdom were among those to benefit from a strong retail bounceback last month, ONS data shows.
The figures from the Office for National Statistics show the highest three month sales growth in nearly two years and highlighted just how there could be signs of real high street momentum benefitting the wider economy.
The sixth wettest March on record meant sales shrunk even more than previously thought – revised down to 1.2% – the only month of retail sales contraction so far in 2023.
However, the data in April was much more positive and showed another immediate bounce back.
Official figures showed retail sales volumes grew by 0.5% in April – more than the 0.3% expected by economists – after a fall in March that was worse than first thought.
It went on to detail how last month specifically was a good one for jewellers, sports retailers and department stores.
A key factor in the uplift was the return of typical weather for the time of year in April after the sixth wettest March on record, when the UK had 155% of average rainfall – putting shoppers off spending.
Sales were revised downwards for March from a previously reported contraction of 0.9% to an actual 1.2% decrease in sales. It was the only month of sales contraction so far this year.
Responding to the latest ONS Retail Sales Index figures, Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Despite households still feeling the squeeze from the high cost of living, sales growth improved in April.
“Nonetheless, consumers continued to adjust their spending patterns, looking for lower price alternatives on many key products, leading to falling sales volumes. Electrical goods performed particularly poorly, while books and stationary saw an uplift due to spring promotions and consumers starting to purchase their summer reads.”
Adding: “Sales should improve further as we enter the summer months, especially with inflation starting to ease and consumer confidence slowly stabilising. Government must ensure it does not sabotage this momentum by adding cost pressures onto retailers from new policies, as these will mainly serve to push prices back up for people up and down the country.”
