16/03/2006

Slowing growth for retail sales

UK retail sales growth slowed further in February, following a relatively weak January, the Office of National Statistics has reported.

The ONS found that the volume of retail sales in the three months to February 2006 was 0.5% higher than in the previous three months.

However, the figure for January sales turned out to be worse than expected, dropping 1.6% from December, compared to a previous estimate of 1.3%.

Last week, the British Retail Consortium reported similarly slow sales in February.

However, the ONS figures showed that food and clothing stores showed the strongest growth in February. The 3% sales growth for clothing stores followed a "relatively weak" December and January for the sector, the ONS said.

However, sales of household goods dropped by 1.1%.

(KMcA/GB)


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