Retail sales increased in March as motorists stocked up on fuel
Retail sales edged up in March, the Office for National Statistics has said, as motorists stocked up on fuel amid rising pump prices driven by the Iran war.
The 0.7% increase in sales volumes followed a 0.6% decline in February and beat expectations for flat growth. Excluding fuel, sales rose by 0.2%, supported by an improved clothing performance due to better weather. Petrol sales climbed by 6.1 % in the month.
Subscribe to TRBComputer and telecoms retailers posted gains as they benefited from new product launches. However, this was partly offset by a fall-back in commercial art galleries following a strong January and February.
The only retail sector to see a month-on-month decline in March was supermarkets and food stores where sales volumes edged down 0.8%.
Meanwhile, online sales values rose by 2.4% over the month as shoppers took advantage of spring sales and purchased new product releases. The ONS said the proportion of sales made online increased from 28.2% in February to 28.7% in March.
