Annual High Street Sales Up 4.3% In October

The quantity bought in the retail industry in October 2014 increased by 4.3% compared with October 2013. It is the nineteenth period of consecutive year on year growth.

The monthly comparison shows that sales were up 0.8% compared with September 2014. All sectors except non-store retailing reported growth. Clothing stores grew by 0.5% but as they experienced a fall of 5.9% in September the difference is not yet made up.

Average shop prices fell b y 1.5% over the year, the biggest fall since December 2002. The main reason was a fall in prices at petrol stations where prices were at their lowest since the end of 2010. The amount spent in retail in October 2014 increased by 2.8% compared with October 2013 and by 0.7% when compared with September. The average weekly spend in retail was estimated to have been £7.1bn in October 2014 compared with £6.9bn in October 2013 and £6.8bn in September.

Online sales accounted for 11.2% of all retail sales in October, a fall of 0.1%. Online sales increased by 7.5% compared with October 2013, the lowest year on year increase since November 2012.

Inflation Up 1.5%

The CPI published by the ONS grew by 1.5% in the year to August 2014, a fall of 0.1% from 1.6% in July. The largest downward contribution came from a fall in the prices of motor fuel and food and non-alcoholic drinks. These pressures to lower prices were offset by upward pressure from clothing, transport services and alcohol.

CPI Up 1.6% In July

Consumer inflation grew by 1.6% over the year to July 2014, a fall of 0.3% from 1.9% in June. The largest factor in the fall in the rate was the fall in the price of clothing. Downward effects also came from alcohol, financial services, and food product groups. The largest upward effect came from transport.

1.9% Increase In Annual Inflation In June

The CPI grew by 1.9% over the year to June from 1.5% in May with the largest contribution coming from clothing, food and non-alcoholic drinks and air transport. It means that a basket of goods that cost £100 in June 2013 costs 101.90 in June 2014.

Consumer Infaltion Up To 1.5%

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) which measures consumer inflation grew by 1.5% over the year to May 2014, down from 1.8% in April. Transport services costs made the largest contribution. Downward effects came from food and non-alcoholic drinks and clothing sectors. These downward trends were offset by increases in motor fuels and recreation and culture.

High Street Sales Increase As Prices Lower Than Last Year

Retail volumes increased by 4.2% compared with March 2013. The value of those sales increased by 3.9%. The prices of those goods sold in March decreased by 0.5%.

There are four main retail sectors, three out of the four saw an increase in the amount spent and for every pound spent in the retail industry in March 42p was spent in food stores, 41p was spent in non-food stores, 6p was spent in non-store retailing and 11p was spent in stores selling automotive fuel. The largest increase was in the non-food sector.

Within non-food stores two areas of growth were notable: textiles, clothing and footwear and household goods. In March 2014 the quantity bought in textile, clothing and footwear stores increased by 7.1%, the largest year on year increase since April 2010. he amount spent increased by 7.3% year on year and 4.3% month on month. The quantity bought in household goods increased by 9.2% compared with March last year and the quantity spent increased by 8.5%.

The distribution of sales values according to businesses ranked by size of business according to number of employees shows that businesses with more than 100 employees sales grew by 0.2%, 40-99 employees grew by -7%, 10-39 employees by 6.1% and 0-9 employees grew most with growth of 16.5%.

Annual CPI Inflation At 1.6%

CPI inflation increased by 1.6% in the year to March 2014. It was 1.7% in February. Between February and March 2014 the CPI rose by 0.2% compared with 0.3% between the same two months of last year. Downward pressure mainly came from transport, especially motor fuels but also from clothing and furniture and household goods.

Transport prices didn't change much between February and March 2014 compared with the 0.6% increase a year earlier. Petrol prices were unchanged compared with a 2.2% rise last year. Diesel fell by 0.4p/litre compared with a rise of 1.9p/litre last year. Air transport fares grew by less than they did a year ago.

As usual, prices for clothing and footwear increased between February and March but by less than last year. Downward pressure mainly came from women's outer garments. Furniture and household goods prices went up by 0.3% over the month compared to a rise of 0.8% last year.

The main upward contribution came from restaurants and hotels where prices increased by 0.5% compared with 0.2% last year mainly from price increases for overnight stays in hotels. Prices for alcohol, particularly spirits, and tobacco rose this year but fell last year.

CPIH which includes owner occupier housing costs (OOH) grew by 1.5% in the year to March 2014. RPIJ grew by 1.8% from 2% in February. RPI annual inflation was 2.5%.

CPI Up To 2.9%

Inflation, using the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), increased by 2.9% in the year to June 2013 compared to 2.7% in May, an increase of 0.2%. The Government's target is still 2%. The main upward drivers were motor fuels and clothing and footwear. Air transport provided the biggest downward pressure.

Inflation Up To 2.7%

Consumer inflation grew by 2.7% over the year to May 2013 according to a statistical bulletin on the CPI from the ONS. Transport with an increase of 0.4% compared with a fall of 0.8% last year and clothing particularly womens' outerwear with an increase of 1.2% were the main contributors to the increase. Food contributed the biggest downward pressure on the index.

The rate has returned to the levels reached during October 2012 and March 2013 after the rate slowed to 2.4% in April. The monthly rate between April and May increased to 0.2%. April and May 2012 saw a decrease of 0.1%. The government's target is still 2%.

Fall In European Annual Inflation

Annual inflation fell in Europe in February in both the euro area and the EU27. In the euro area inflation fell to 1.8% from 2% while in the EU27 it fell to 2% from 2.1% in January. The monthly inflation figures also fell by 0.4% in both zones.

The lowest annual rates were in Greece (0.1%) and Portugal (0.2%) and the highest rates were in Romania (4.8%) and Estonia (4%). The biggest upward contributions to the changes were from electricity (0.17%), fruit and tobacco (both 0.07%) and the biggest downward contributions came from telecommunications (-0.22%), medical and paramedical services (0.08%) and garments (0.07%).

European Inflation Falls In October

Inflation in Europe fell in October according to Eurostat. Euro area inflation fell 0.1% from 2.6% in September to 2.5% in October. EU annual inflation was 2.6% in October down from 2.7% in September. The annual comparison also shows a decrease in inflation in the euro area from 3% and in the EU27 from 3.4% last year. The lowest annual rates in October were seen in Greece, Sweden and Latvia and the highest in Hungary, Romania and Estonia. The lowest annual averages were in Sweden, Greece and Ireland and the highest in Hungary, Estonia and Poland. In the euro area the main components for annual rates were transport, alcohol and tobacco and housing and the lowest in communiactions, recreation and culture, clothing and household equipment. The monthly rate were mainly affected by clothing and education, alcohol and tobacco and the lowest for transport, communications, recreation and culture and hotels and restaurants.

Retailers See 2.5% Rise In Sales In September

The retail sector increased sales of goods by 2.5% in volume over the year from September 2011 to September 2012 according to a statistical bulletin from the ONS. The amount spent in the retail sector increased by 3.2% in value over the same period. Over the month from August to September 2012 sales volumes increased by 0.6% and sales value increased by 1.1%. Predominantly food stores accounted for 41.3% of all retailing, predominantly non-food stores accounted for 41.6%. Non-store retailing accounted for 5.3% and automotive fuel accounted for 11.8%. Store price inflation increased by 0.7% over the year and by 1.3% over the month. The main upward pressure came from price rises in sales of textiles, clothing and footwear. The average weekly spend was estimated at £6.6bn compared with £6.5bn in August and £6.4bn in September 2011. Internet sales were estimated to have increased by 0.5% in the month to September. The average weekly online spend was £507.8m.

CPI Down To 2.5% In August

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell to 2.5% in August 2012 from 2.6% in July according to a statistical bulletin from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The main pressure pushing the index down came from furniture, household equipment & maintenance, housing & household services (particularly domestic gas) and clothing & footwear. The downward pressure from these sectors was partially offset by upward pressure from transport (particularly motor fuels).

CPI Inflation Up To 2.6%

There was a rounded up increase of 0.1% from 2.4% in June to 2.6% in July in the CPI between June and July 2012 according to the ONS. The main upward pressure on the CPI came from transport and clothing and footwear. Air fares increased by 21.7% during the period compared with 9.8% a year ago. There were no significant downward pressures on the CPI between June and July.

Inflation Falls For Fourth Month In A Row

The CPI annual inflation fell 0.4% from 2.8% in May to 2.4% in June 2012 according to data from the ONS. The index has fallen for three consecutive months. It at its lowest since November 2009 when it stood at 1.9%.

Clothing and footwear, transport and food and non-alcoholic beverages made the most difference downwards. Upward pressure came from recreation and culture.

RPI stands at 2.8% in June down from 3.1% in May.

High Street Slows Down In April

Retail sales values increased over the year by 0.4% to April 2012 (0.9% excluding automotive fuel). It is the slowest rate of growth since January 2010. Sales volumes fell by 1.1% over the same yearly period (0.3%% excluding automotive fuel). It is the largest fall in sales volumes since August 2011. The growth slow down was due mainly to predominantly food stores, predominantly automotive fuel stores and textile, clothing and footwear stores. Sales values in food stores grew by 0.1%, the slowest annual growth since January 1989. The fall in sales volumes in predominantly automotive fuel stores was the largest fall since February 1996. The biggest percentage of retailing went to predominantly non-food stores with 43.2%, predominantly food stores accounted for 41.7%, non-store retailing 4.9% and automotive fuel accounted for 10.2%. The total value of spending in the retail sector in April was estimated to be £25.9bn and the average weekly spend £6.5bn. Internet sales values in April were £489m, up 18.1% compared with April 2011. Internet sales are estimated to account for 8.5% of all retail sales excluding automotive fuel. Non-store retailing accounts for 60.6% of all Internet sales. Food sales has the lowest proprtion with 3.2%.

Inflation Down To 3%

CPI annual inflation fell 0.5% to 3% in April 2012. Easter had a significant effect on the data. The rate was last lower in December 2009 when it was 2.9%. The index stands at 122.9. The main causes of the decrease in the index were falls in prices in air transport, off-sales of alcohol, clothing and sea transport. Upward pressure came from the operation of personal transport equipment, restaurants and hotels, and rents. The RPI stands at 3.5% down from 3.6% in March. The CPI rose 0.6% between March and April 2012. Transport prices rose by 1.2% the largest contrubutor to which came from fuel costs which increased 2%. Petrol prices went up 3.2% to £1.42/l. Diesel prices rose 2.1% to £1.48/l. The increase in excise duties helped prices of alcohol and tobacco to go up by 2.9%, where tobacco prices increased by 5.1%. Prices of furniture, household equipment and maintenance fell by 1.2%, mainly due to downward prices in furniture and furnishings.

Inflation Stands At 3.4%

CPI inflation stands at 121.8 or a percentage change of 3.4% in February 2012 according to a statistical bulletin from the ONS. RPI inflation stands at 3.7%. The annual rate is the lowest since November 2010.

The biggest downward pressure on the CPI came from domestic electricity and gas, recreation and culture and transport. The biggest upward pressure came from alcohol off sales and vegetables.

On the monthly comparison the CPI rose by 0.6% between January and February 2012 compared with 0.7 a year ago. The biggest upward pressure on the monthly comparisdon came from clothing and footwear, food and non-alcoholic beverages, transport and furniture. The biggest downward pressure came from housing and household services.

High Street Sales Up On December Last Year

The value and volume of retail sales increased in December 2011 over December 2010 according to ONS. Sales values increased by 6.2% over last year while volumes increased by 2.6% over the same period. Volumes were driven mainly by motor fuel and textiles, clothing and footwear stores. Last year was hit particularly badly by the weather.

An estimated £42.1bn was spent in retail during December compared to £29bn in November. An estimated £343.2bn was spent in total during 2011 compared with £326.2bn in 2010. Internet sales were an estimated 10.9% of all sales at £837.1m in December. Last year the figure was £652m (9.1%).

Inflation Down To 4.2% In December

CPI annual inflation for Decmber 2011 stood at 4.2%, down from 4.8% in November. The biggest downward pressure came from petrol, gas and clothing. Upward pressure came mainly from landline and mobile telephone charges.

RPI stood at 4.8%, down from 5.2% in November. The main pressures on the RPI came from the same sectors as affected the CPI with upward pressure also coming from car insurance. Data from ONS.