British retail started the year with moderate sales growth. From December to January, revenues increased by 0.5 percent, as the statistics office ONS announced on Friday in London. Bank economists, on the other hand, had expected a decline of 0.3 percent. Sales fell 1.2 percent in December.
With the exception of sales of groceries, the proceeds increased across the board. According to the ONS, the increased cost of living weighs particularly heavily in the food trade, which is why consumers are holding back on spending. Meanwhile, overall retail sales are still lower than before the coronavirus pandemic. Online trading has significantly expanded its market share during the pandemic, even if the trend has been downward in recent months. (dpa)