UK retail sales bounced back in April after falling in March, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed.
Retail sales rose by 0.5% in April, ahead of City expectations for a 0.3% increase, following a fall of 1.2% in March which was downwardly revised from a fall of 0.9%.
Sales volumes rose by 0.8% in the three months to April 2023 when compared with the previous three months; the highest rate since August 2021 (1.3%).
Non-food stores sales volumes rose by 1.0% in April, following a fall of 1.8% in March when poor weather conditions throughout most of the month affected sales.
Food stores sales volumes rose by 0.7% in April following a fall of 0.8% in March.
Non-store retailing (mainly online retailers) sales volumes rose by 0.2% in April, following a fall of 1.4% in March.
Despite falling fuel prices, automotive fuel sales volumes fell by 2.2% in April, following a rise of 0.1% in March.
Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown said although the wet weather in March made for some easier comparisons “there looks to be some underlying real progress”.
“Sales of watches and jewellery and department store performances helped non-food sales climb, and suggest that belt-tightening perhaps isn’t as potent as feared.”
The EY ITEM Club said: “On the face of it, April's rise is consistent with brightening prospects for the consumer sector.”