Retail sales dip in November as lockdowns bite
Retail sales remained above their pre-pandemic levels in November despite a month-on-month fall, new figures reveal.
The closely watched retail sales figures from the Office for National Statistics show a 3.8 per cent drop in November compared to October, with many stores particularly in England forced to close for much of the month.
Online retailing accounted for almost a third of total retail spending, increasing by three percentage points as Christmas shopping began.
Digital shopping has been the big winner of the pandemic, with spending 74.7 per cent higher year-on-year compared to 2019.
The overall dip ends a six month run of positive news.
Lynda Petherick, Head of Retail at Accenture UK, said: “In a month where England went back into lockdown and the UK as a whole was subject to tightening restrictions, it’s little surprise that physical retail sales growth stalled in November.
“However, the show must go on when it comes to Christmas shopping, and some retailers have triumphed by preparing their e-commerce operations for the boom in online sales. Black Friday and early festive shopping continued to stimulate a sector so desperately trying to build recovery momentum.”