UK Retail Quarterly

LONDON (awp / dpa) – The British Retail Association (PRC) on Tuesday and KPMG revealed that UK retail sales rose to a record quarter between April and June as stores reopened after restrictions earlier this year.

Sales rose 13.1% in June compared to the same month in 2019, before the outbreak, according to a report.

The increase in the three months from April to June reached 10.4% compared to the same quarter in 2019, which is further supported by the boom in online sales.

“The second quarter of 2021 saw exceptional growth with the economy gradually reopening, which allowed consumers to catch up after the locks,” said Helen Dickinson, CEO of PRC.

The report shows that retail sales in June benefited many Britons who decided to go on holiday in their country.

So they spent more on summer clothes or shoes, especially at the beginning of the month when the sun was shining.

In addition, the Euro football, which began in mid-June, boosted sales of televisions, snacks and beers.

A shadow on the board

Consumption in the United Kingdom is not at all hopeless, which is certainly preparing to remove last-ditch restrictions, but facing strong impetus from the Delta variant.

Ms Dickinson said “many traders have not yet reclaimed the land they lost during the lockout” and “city centers continue to suffer from low attendance”, which is now being lost to people working at home and tourists.

He also fears that some consumers may be embarrassed by the government’s decision not to make it mandatory to wear a mask at home.

“The government needs to reassure the public about safety as it continues to move forward with its most successful vaccination program,” the PRC chairman said.

afp / ol