UK retail sales missed expectations in the key Christmas shopping month of November, official figures show.
Retail sales nudged up 0.2%, an improvement on the 0.7% decline seen in October, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). But it was below analysts’ expectations of a 0.5% jump.
The ONS said growth in supermarkets and other non-food stores was partly offset by a fall in clothing retailers.
Food sales increased for the first time in three months, boosted by 0.5% over the period, while non-food revenues were up 0.2%.
However, clothing sales plunged 2.6% for the month, following a 3.5% fall in October, making them their lowest level since January 2022.
Meanwhile, the amount spent online sunk 4.3% in November, making it the largest drop since March 2022.
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ONS senior statistician Hannah Finselbach said: “Retail sales increased slightly in November following last month’s fall.
“For the first time in three months there was a boost for food store sales, particularly supermarkets. It was also a good month for household goods retailers, most notably furniture shops.
“Clothing store sales dipped sharply once again, as retailers reported tough trading conditions.
“With November’s retail sales survey covering the four weeks to the 23 November, Black Friday itself will fall within December’s figures. However, our figures account for this shift in timing to give us the best picture of what is happening in the shops.”
The government department noted Black Friday fell on 29 November this year, putting it outside of its November reporting period. It ensured its seasonally adjusted estimates accounted for the shift in timing.
PwC leader of industry for consumer markets Lisa Hooker added: “There was a small headline rise in November’s retail sales, up 0.2% in value terms compared with this time last year, and seemingly reversing the weaker trend from the previous couple of months.
“However, given the exclusion of Black Friday from these results, they should not be taken as an indicator of wider retail performance in the run-up to Christmas.”
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