UK retail sales volumes rose more strongly than expected in May, providing a welcome boost to the economy as consumers responded to favourable weather and retailer promotions.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said retail sales volumes increased 2.7% month-on-month in May, reversing a revised 1.3% decline recorded in April.
Compared with the same month last year, sales volumes were 3.2% higher, comfortably ahead of economists' forecasts for growth of around 1.9%.
Food stores led the gains, with sales volumes rising 3.6% during the month, marking the strongest increase since May 2020. Retailers attributed the improvement to good weather, which boosted demand across a range of food categories.
Non-food stores also reported stronger trading, with sales volumes increasing 3.1%. Clothing retailers and household goods stores benefited from warmer conditions and promotional activity, while online retailers also recorded higher sales.
The latest figures mean retail sales volumes increased 1.7% in the three months to May compared with the previous three-month period, suggesting consumer spending has remained resilient despite ongoing economic uncertainty.
Richard Hunter, head of markets at interactive investor, welcomed the "rare" piece of positive news for the economy, saying: "With promotional activity likely to continue over the summer and with the possibility of extra spending associated with the World Cup, some momentum could be established."
The stronger-than-expected retail performance comes as policymakers and investors continue to monitor the health of the UK consumer amid inflationary pressures and wider geopolitical uncertainty.
