Retail sales volumes (quantity bought) are estimated to have risen by 1.7% in January 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics. This follows a fall of 0.6% in December 2024 (revised down from a fall of 0.3% in the last ONS bulletin).
Food store sales volumes grew strongly in January 2025, following falls in recent months.
More broadly, sales volumes fell by 0.6% in the three months to January 2025, compared with the three months to October 2024, but rose by 1.4%, compared with the three months to January 2024.
Supermarkets, alcohol and tobacco stores as well as specialist shops like butchers and bakers all reported strong trading.
Meanwhile, clothing shops and household goods stores had less of a successful month with retailers reporting lacklustre sales due to weak consumer confidence.
“Looking at the broader picture, retail sales have decreased across the three-month period and are below pre-pandemic levels,” ONS senior statistician Hannah Finselbach said.
