Summary for Retail Sales, November 2012

Figure 1, All retailing (seasonally adjusted) sales volumes

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Compared with November 2011, the quantity of goods bought (all retailing seasonally adjusted volumes) in November 2012 was estimated to have increased by 0.9%. Between the same periods the amount spent (all retailing seasonally adjusted sales values) was estimated to have increased by 1.5%.

Looking at the monthly picture (November 2012 compared with October 2012) there was no change in the quantity of goods bought and a fall of 0.1% in the amount spent, following decreases in both the quantity bought and the amount spent between September and October.

Across all retailing an estimated £7.3 billion was spent weekly in November 2012 and in November 2011, therefore consumers spent approximately the same amount in retail this year as they did last. However, looking at the average weekly spend online, weekly spend was estimated at £711 million in November 2012 compared with £658 million in November 2011. This indicates that while consumers continued to spend approximately the same amount as they did last year, this year they spent more online and less in store.

Source: Office for National Statistics

Background notes

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