ONS: January retail sales up

Year-on-year estimates of retail sales volumes showed strong growth for the second consecutive month in January, rising by 4.3%, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Year-on-year there was notable increase in non-food stores (8%), with stores selling household goods up by 9.8% – the largest year-on-year increase since July 2007 – and other goods stores lifting by 14.8%. But ONS said the growth was partly due to a weak January 2013, when heavy snowfall could have affected sales.

The amount spent online showed a similar pattern to the amount spent in store. Compared with January 2013 the amount increased by 8.9% but fell by 3.3% compared with December 2013.

The trading period for January covered December 29 2013 to February 1 2014 and thus accounted for five weeks.