The latest BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said that UK retail sales have risen by 0.2% compared with the same period in 2014, led by food sales which rose by 0.5% for the third consecutive month and online sales of non-food products which rose by 8.3%.
Adjusted for the BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index deflation, total growth was 3.4%, above the 12-month average of 3.2%.
In a statement director general of the British Retail Consortium, Helen Dickinson said: "After the bustle of Christmas and the excitement of the January sales, February is usually a quiet month for retailers. So it's heartening to see that retail sales continued to rise this month by close to 2 per cent.
"What's interesting is that almost all categories of product saw increased sales – so the good news is shared out pretty evenly across the industry as a whole. There was some specific excitement around swimwear, sandals and other ‘holiday' items as consumers turned their mind to their getaways. Valentine's Day also drove good sales of beauty products, jewellery and food related gifts.
"Fundamentally though, sales are up while prices fall which means that retailers are continuing to work hard to provide original products that excite customers at the right price. So far, 2015 has been positive for both retailers and consumers and it shows no signs yet of changing course."
David McCorquodale, Head of Retail, KPMG, said: "Activity on the high street has settled into a monotonous equilibrium, with falling like-for-like food sales persistently wiping out any meaningful like-for-like growth the non-food sector manages to achieve. February's figures are also against very weak comparables, when bad weather caused sales to stall last year.
"Whilst the 0.5 per cent growth in quarterly food sales is the highest since January 2014, it seems that overall the wider economic recovery is bypassing the retail sector. With interest rates and inflation remaining low, it's surprising more consumers aren't treating themselves to a new pair of shoes, or curtains for the home. One suspects that restaurateurs, not retailers, are benefitting from the extra cash in consumers' pockets resulting from fuel price savings.
"However, some sectors did see sales growth. Sales of furniture and household appliances rose, no doubt helped by the recovery in the housing market; clothing also received a boost, aided by the arrival of new collections in store.
"The fall off in the three-month average in non-food sales is a result of last year's Black Friday dropping out. Retailers will be hoping that the arrival of spring can drive a more sustained upswing in spending as warmer temperatures encourage shoppers to splurge on new season outfits.”
