UK Retail Sales Continued to Recover at a Rapid Pace in August

Official figures showed that UK retail sales continued to post gains last month, as parts of the sector recovered faster than most of the economy.

The Office for National Statistics said retail sales volumes rose 0.8% in August, slightly more than the median forecast of 0.7% in a Reuters poll.

And compared to the same period last year, when it rose 2.8%, compared to expectations of annual growth of 3%.

UK retail sales already surpassed pre-Covid levels in July and are now 4% higher than before the crisis.

But the recovery masks a sharp divide between online and traditional retailers, with online sales and mail ordering rising 34.4% year on year in August, while many traditional retailers outside the grocery sector are struggling because of declining turnout.