Online Sales Helped Boost Growth In UK Retail During January

According to data released by the Office for National Statistics, the Retail Sales Bulletin for January 2012 found that non-store retailing grew by 13.3 per cent last month, compared in January 2011. Internet sales amounted to £640.4 million per week, some 11.9 per cent of all retail sales.

This compared with an average weekly online spend of around £462.1 million in January 2011, equivalent to 8.9 per cent of retail sales.

UK retail sales grew 2 per cent by volume last month on a like-for-like basis, and by 4.4 per cent in value. The ONS said: “Sales volumes were driven primarily by non-store retailing, other stores and predominantly food stores.”

IMRG also released figures  which demonstrate that traders took £6 billion online in January – a 16 per cent increase on a like-for-like basis and an equivalent spend of £118 per person.

The IMRG-KPMG e-Retail Sales Index showed travel sales were up 205 per cent since December and up 13 per cent like-for-like. The clothing, footwear and accessories category took 38 per cent less than December but 13 per cent more than January 2011.

Chris Webster, head of retail consulting and technology at Capgemini, said: “There’s little cheer in these results for retailers. While consumer price inflation is steadily decreasing, it has thus far failed to reinvigorate consumer spending. The steady march of customers moving from the high street to online channels continues and if anything, accelerates as savvy shoppers look to make their wages stretch further.”

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