Wimbledon serves up an ace for retail

UK RETAILERS saw sales lift higher in June as warmer weather helped drive more shoppers onto the high street, according to new figures.

- HENRY SAKER-CLARK

Fresh data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed shopping activity swung higher for the month as sales of fans and sportswear rose sharply due to the recent hot spell and sporting events such as Wimbledon.

The monthly BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor revealed that total UK retail sales increased by 3.1% in June year-on-year, compared with a 0.2% in the same month a year earlier.

This was also particularly buoyed by an increase in food sales, which grew by 4.1% for the month on the back of accelerating price inflation.

Recent figures from the trade group showed that food inflation increased to 3.7% in June, while fresh food was 3.2% more expensive than a year ago.

The BRC found that nonfood sales increased by 2.2% in June, with similar rates of growth across online and in stores.