UK Retail Figures Show Sales Fall

UK Retail Figures Show Sales Fall.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that sales in January fell compared to December. This is not surprising as the surge for holiday spending helped boost retail sales. The figures were still up compared with the year before.

Sales jumped to 2.5% in December, but fell to 1.5% in January. However, figures were still up 4.3% from the year before.

The drop in January was said to be linked to weak supermarket trading and a fall in clothing sales. However the figures showed that non-food stores had seen a dramatic increase in sales.

Heavy snowfall hit the UK in 2013 and this could be reflected in sales. Online sales had also seen an increase, rising to 8.9% but falling 3.3% compared to December.