UK retail sales increased for the fifth consecutive month in September, reveal the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. Total retail sales were 5.5 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels in February as sales rose by 1.5 per cent between August and September. Home improvement sales bolstered the recovery with increased sales in household goods and garden items. But it wasn’t all good news: clothing sales volumes were still down by 12.7 per cent on February while experts warn there could be another dip overall as the national grapples with a second wave of the pandemic.
Will Broome, CEO and founder of fintech app Ubamarket, comments: “The figures are a great indication of the consumer confidence that the UK continues to have despite the pandemic. However, with a second national lockdown now underway, these figures could fall again in the coming months. To prevent this, retailers need to adapt quickly. The use of applications that can send push notifications and personalised offers to customers will help drive footfall if it drops during local lockdowns. Measures like this will need implementing quickly to help retailers protect themselves from a potential drop in sales.”