Overview
- ONS data released Friday showed retail volumes up 0.7% in March, beating forecasts after a revised 0.6% drop in February.
- Motor fuel led the increase with volumes up 6.1% in a short burst of buying, while the value of fuel sales rose 11.6% as prices jumped.
- Excluding fuel, sales edged up 0.2%, with food stores down 0.8% and gains focused on clothing, computers, art, cosmetics, department stores and online sellers.
- The reporting window ran through 4 April to include Good Friday activity, and volumes for the first quarter rose 1.6% versus the previous three months.
- RAC figures show petrol up 18.5% to 157.34p per litre and diesel up 33.4% to 189.88p this year, a squeeze that prompted filling up and left retailers cautious on the outlook.