Retail Sales Summary Key Points:
- Retail sales volumes increased by 0.5% in April 2023 after a 1.2% decline in March (revised from 0.9%).
- Sales volumes in non-food stores rose by 1.0% in April, rebounding from a 1.8% drop in March affected by poor weather.
- Food stores experienced a 0.7% sales increase in April, recovering from a 0.8% decline in March, but still 2.7% below pre-COVID-19 levels.
- Non-store retailing (online retailers) saw a 0.2% sales increase in April, following a 1.4% decline in March.
- Automotive fuel sales volumes fell by 2.2% in April despite lower fuel prices, following a 0.1% increase in March.
UK Business Insights: Economic Impact Summary
Latest results indicate ongoing challenging business conditions, but there are some positive signs of improvement. For instance, a stable proportion of businesses in the UK were able to obtain materials, goods, and services domestically. Additionally, more businesses reported fewer concerns about their operations.
In April 2023, 65% of trading businesses reported sourcing materials, goods, or services within the UK, which remained unchanged from March 2023. By May 2023, 68% of businesses expressed concerns for June 2023, down from 71% in the previous month. This marked the lowest percentage reported this year. Among those concerned, the percentage of businesses worried about energy prices decreased from 18% in May to 15% in June, while concerns about inflation of goods and services prices dropped from 16% to 15%.
As of late May 2023, approximately two-thirds (63%) of businesses did not face worker shortages, with 13% reporting shortages. The remaining businesses either selected "not sure" or "not applicable," showing stability compared to late April 2023.
In April 2023, 23% of businesses reported an increase in employees' hourly wages compared to March 2023 (14%). Among businesses with 10 or more employees, this figure was 48% in April 2023 compared to March 2023 (23%).
Regarding industrial action, fewer than 10% (9%) of businesses were directly or indirectly affected in April 2023. Among those affected, 24% reported being unable to fully operate, and 32% cited various reasons, such as reduced demand for goods and services and a decline in the number of customers.
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