By Alec Mattinson2021-04-23T08:06:00+01:00
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Retail sales volumes continued to recover in March ahead of the reopening of non-essential shops, according to date from the Office of National Statistics.
Overall retail sales rose 5.4% in March compared with the previous month, reflecting the effect of the easing of coronavirus restrictions on consumer spending.
Sales were 1.6% higher than February 2020 before the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Non-food stores provided the largest positive contribution to the monthly growth in March 2021 sales volumes, driven by a 17.5% spike in clothing store sales and a 13.4% rise in sales at other non-food stores.
Food stores reported monthly growth of 2.5%, with strong growth in specialist food stores (butchers and bakers) as they continued to be boosted by the closure of the hospitality sector during the Easter period.