UK retail sales boosted by second-hand and discount stores

Shoppers facing cost-of-living pressures turned to discount and second-hand stores past month, giving retail income a astonishment boost.

Sales volumes roseate by 1.2% successful February, authoritative figures showed, the biggest monthly summation since October past year.

Food income besides rose, but the Office for National Statistics said determination were signs terms pressures had chopped spending successful restaurants and connected takeaway meals.

Figures retired earlier this week showed prices rising faster than expected.

February's emergence successful income was stronger than forecast, and followed an upwardly revised 0.9% summation successful January.

The ONS said the summation meant income volumes were present backmost to pre-pandemic levels.

"However, the broader representation remains much subdued, with retail income showing small existent growth, peculiarly implicit the past 18 months with terms rises hitting user spending power," said ONS manager of economical statistic Darren Morgan.

The ONS said non-food income roseate by 2.4% past month, boosted by discount section and covering stores. There was besides "strong growth" successful second-hand goods stores, specified arsenic auction houses and foundation shops.

"Looking astatine the latest retail income figures you mightiness beryllium forgiven for wondering if Britain truly is successful the mediate of a cost-of-living crisis," said Danni Hewson, caput of fiscal investigation astatine AJ Bell.

"But popular the hood and the world is laid bare. Consumers look to beryllium choosing supermarkets implicit takeaways and snapping up bargains wherever they can," she added.

"People are hunting retired bargains whether they're recovered successful the income aisles being good stocked by section stores, oregon successful foundation shops oregon different second-hand emporiums."