Retailers received a boost with news that Black Friday helped retail sales rebound in November.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed retail sales increased by 1.3% last month with October’s figure revised to no growth from a fall of 0.3%.
Economists has predicted growth of 0.4%.
For the three months to November, sales fell by 0.8% when compared with the previous three months.
Retail sales increased 1.3% in November 2023, from no growth in October.
When we look more broadly, sales fell 0.8% in the three months to November when compared with the previous three months.
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) December 22, 2023
Non-food store sales rose by 2.3% in November, following a 0.2% increase in October, boosted by earlier Black Friday sales and wider discounting.
Food store sales rose by 0.8% in November, from an increase of 0.1% in October 2023 while fuel sales rose by 0.6% in November as fuel prices fell.
Non-store retailing (predominantly online retailers) sales rose by 0.2% in November, following a rise of 0.5% in October.
The figures follow a more downbeat assessment from the CBI yesterday.