Retail Sales - August 2011 - Summary

Retail Sales Index Points

Source: Monthly Business Survey - Retail Sales Inquiry, Monthly Business Survey - Retail Sales Inquiry - Office for National Statistics, Office for National Statistics

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Flat growth with a mixed picture across retail sectors

Year on year, all retail sales saw:

• no growth in the volume of sales between August 2010 and August 2011

• the value of sales increase by 4.7 per cent between August  2010 and August 2011

Month on month, all retail sales saw:

• the volume of sales decreased by 0.2 per cent between July 2011 and August 2011

• no growth in the value of retail sales over the same period

Retail Sales Index Points

Source: Monthly Business Survey - Retail Sales Inquiry, Monthly Business Survey - Retail Sales Inquiry - Office for National Statistics, Office for National Statistics

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Concentrating on sales volumes between August 2010 and August 2011, the greatest upward pressure to the all retailing figure came from non-store retailing which increased by 13.7 per cent and provides 0.6 percentage points. Predominantly automotive fuel also increased by 1.6 per cent and provides 0.1 percentage points.

Downward pressure came from predominantly non-food stores which decreased by 1.2 per cent and provides 0.4 percentage points, driven by decreases in the household goods stores which decreased by 4.1 per cent and other stores which decreased by 2.9 per cent. Predominantly food stores also decreased by 0.8 per cent and provides 0.3 percentage points.

Total sales during August 2011, approximately £25.4 billion was spent on retail goods, up from £24.3 billion in the same month last year.

Source: Office for National Statistics

Background notes

1. 1. The August 2011 period covered four weeks from 31 July 2011 to 27 August 2011.
   2. Care should be taken when using monthly growth rates due to their volatility.
   3. Retail sales volume is the total takings adjusted for inflation and the value of retail sales is the total actual takings.
   4. All volume statistics referred to above are seasonally adjusted and chainlinked.
   5. Sales refer to average weekly sales.
   6. The “All Retailing” estimate includes the sale of automotive fuel
   7. You may use or re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this license, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.
   8. These National Statistics are produced to high professional standards and released according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

2. Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available by visiting www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html or from the Media Relations Office email: media.relations@ons.gsi.gov.uk

   These National Statistics are produced to high professional standards and released according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.