UK retail sales grow faster than expected in January

[LONDON] British retail sales volumes in January were 1.9 per cent higher than in December and 9.1 per cent above their level a year earlier, when non-essential shops were closed due to a Covid-19 lockdown, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday (Feb 18).

Economists polled by Reuters had on average forecast a 1.0 per cent monthly rise in retail sales for January and an annual increase in volumes of 8.7 per cent. REUTERS