UK Retail Sales Rise 3.6% in March on Easter Lift

UK retail sales rose 3.6 percent year on year in March, surpassing the 12-month average of 2.6 percent, as an early Easter provided a significant lift to food purchases amid ongoing economic pressures.

The increase marked a sharp acceleration from the 1.1 percent growth recorded in March of the previous year, according to data from the British Retail Consortium and KPMG. Food sales led the gains, climbing 6.8 percent year on year, well above the 12-month average of 4.3 percent and a reversal from the 1.6 percent rise seen last year. This surge reflected families stocking up for Easter gatherings, compounded by inflationary effects on prices. In contrast, nonfood sales grew more modestly at 0.9 percent, up slightly from 0.6 percent a year earlier but below the 12-month average of 1.1 percent. In-store nonfood purchases fared better, rising 1.4 percent and exceeding the average, while online nonfood sales edged up just 0.1 percent, lagging the 1.0 percent average. The share of nonfood items bought online dipped to 37.6 percent from 38.1 percent last year, though it remained above the 12-month norm of 37.4 percent.

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