Euro 2020 helps lift UK retail sales, ONS data suggests

UK retail sales volumes increased 0.5% between May and June, as shoppers splashed out on more food to enjoy the Euro 2020 tournament.

Sales were up 9.5% when compared with their pre-pandemic February 2020 levels.

Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics at the Office for National Statistics, said June’s sales picked up again following the dip seen the prior month, “with the main driver coming from food and drink sales, boosted by football fans across Britain enjoying the Euros”.

Oliver Vernon-Harcourt, head of retail at Deloitte, said “sales of snacks and alcohol were lifted significantly as a result of England’s successful run” in the tournament.

Sales volumes at food stores climbed 4.2% last month, although non-food shops saw declines of 1.7%, with falls in spend at furniture and clothing retailers.

The ONS added that the volume of sales for the three months to June was 12.2% higher than in the previous quarter.

That was driven mainly by strong growth in April when non-essential retailers could open from the latest lockdown. In May food stores saw sales impacted by the reopening of hospitality, with some customers looking to eat out more.

The proportion of retail sales from online remains well above pre-Covid levels, but in June most retail sectors reported a fall in their proportions of digital sales as customers returned to bricks and mortar sites.

Last month was when ‘freedom day’ was originally expected, but that was delayed, and the further easing of lockdown rules instead came in on July 19.

Read More

FTSE 100 expected to open higher, and retail sales in focus

Focus: Will leisure take lead from retail in ‘changing of the guard’ on UK High Streets?

TikTok pop-up ‘house’ opens at Westfield London for video app fans

Euros trigger bumper demand for TVs and wine coolers at AO World