In November underlying growth in retail sales volume was steady relative to the earlier part of 2006 but remained modest compared with average growth over the last few years.
The volume of retail sales in the three months September to November was 0.5 per cent higher than in the previous three months. This follows 0.6 per cent growth in the three months to October and compares with an increase of 1.0 per cent at the same time in 2005.
Three-monthly growth in sales volume was 0.8 per cent for non-food stores and flat for food stores, the lowest for this sector since March 2003. The highest three-monthly growth was in non-store retailing at 1.6 per cent.
Within non-food stores 'other' non-food stores showed the highest growth at 1.5 per cent with clothing stores at 1.3 per cent. Household goods stores showed a decrease of 0.4 per cent. Compared with the same period a year ago, total sales volumes in the three months to November 2006 were up 3.3 per cent.
The largest monthly increase was for non-store retailing at 2.9 per cent which mainly reflects robust sales by specialist internet and mail order retailers.
Sales by clothing stores grew 0.7 per cent on the month with household goods showing growth of 0.5 per cent. The total volume of sales in November was 3.2 per cent higher than in November 2005.
For the three months to November the unadjusted value of retail sales was 3.8 per cent higher than in the same period a yearearlier.
The average weekly value of sales in November was £5.5 billion, 3.7 per cent higher than in November 2005. Sales by food stores increased by 3.8 per cent over the year compared with 3.2 per cent growth for non-food stores and 7.5 per cent for non-store retailing.
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