Shoppers are spending more but buying fewer items
High inflation continued to support retailers in April, but soaring prices meant shoppers bought fewer products during the month.
The latest BRC-KPMG monthly retail sales monitor reported that retail sales grew 5.1% in April, compared with a 0.3% decline in the same month last year.
However, the industry experts highlighted that although customers spent more, the volume of items bought by shoppers was lower as inflation continues to weigh on budgets.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said UK inflation hit 10.1% in March, amid record food and drink inflation at 19.1%.
Retailers said food sales increased by 9.8% over the three months to April, driven by jumps in price, with sales volumes actually lower for the period.
Most food items have increased in the past month. Here are some of the biggest price rises (March 2022 price first, then March 2023, then percentage increase):
Cucumber £0.55, £0.84, 52% rise; olive oil £3.87, £5.78, 49%; cheddar cheese £6.53, £9.29, 42%; granulated white sugar £0.73, £1.04, 42%; semiskimmed milk £0.96, £1.33, 39%; baked beans £0.76, £1.05 39%; whole milk £1.23m £1.70 38%; lemonade £0.69, £0.93, 35%; frozen chicken nuggets £1.79, £2.41, 35%; broccoli £1.70, £2.27, 34%; eggs £2.42, £3.19, 32%.
Meanwhile, non-food stores saw a 1.2% sales increase over the three-month period to April, amid pressure on fashion retailers.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: ‘Clothing sales underperformed as the poor weather left customers thinking twice before decking out their summer wardrobe.’