Latest news with #HannahFinselbach
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shops boosted by hot and dry spring as BBQ season begins early
Shops have received a boost from the recent hot and dry weather, with sales of meat, alcohol and cigarettes rising as BBQ season begins early. Retail sales rose by 1.2pc in April, a significant acceleration from the 0.1pc increase seen in March and much higher than analysts' forecasts of a 0.3 pc rise. It marks the fastest growth since August 2023, as good weather over the Easter weekend and the sunniest April on record pushed consumers to spend more on food and drink. Food sales rose by a 3.9pc, largely recovering from declines in February and March. Hannah Finselbach, of the Office for National Statistics, said: 'After a poor couple of months, food sales bounced back with supermarkets reporting robust sales, while it was also a positive month for butchers and bakers, alcohol and tobacco stores. 'Looking more broadly, the three-monthly growth was the largest in nearly four years.' Home and garden retailers received a boost from the weather, while clothing stores also benefitted. Jacqueline Windsor, of PwC UK, said: 'Fashion retailers saw their first quarter of year-on-year growth since August 2023 as shoppers rushed to refresh their spring-summer wardrobes to take advantage of the good weather.' Kris Hamer, at the British Retail Consortium, said: 'With the first taste of summer, consumer spending was up across the board, with sales of food and drink performing particularly well as people hosted Easter gatherings, barbecues, and picnics. Consumer spending remained resilient despite fears that Rachel Reeves's £25bn tax raid on employers, which took effect last month, would dampen sentiment. The unexpectedly strong retail figures were announced as separate data showed consumer confidence rose slightly in May, boosted by the Bank of England's interest rate cut this month. GfK's consumer confidence index rose by three points to -20 in May, with the public now more optimistic about the outlook for the UK economy over the next year and their personal finances. Neil Bellamy at GfK said: 'There's an improvement across all five key indicators in May ... The measure for personal finances looking ahead for the next 12 months has moved out of negative territory, increasing by five points to + 2.' Nicholas Found, at Retail Economics, warned that the outlook remained challenging given that recent tax rises are expected to squeeze retailers' profits and push up prices. Mr Found said: 'Retailers welcomed some much-needed sunshine, as shoppers returned to DIY and gardening, while lighter evenings and social gatherings lifted food and drink spending, which had seen sluggish growth in recent months. 'Yet beneath the glimmer of momentum lies a more challenging reality. Budget and tariff-related costs are coming in, putting pressure on profitability. Retailers are navigating an increasingly complex environment, where protecting margins, sustaining investment and staying competitive is becoming harder.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Shops boosted by hot and dry spring as BBQ season begins early
Shops have received a boost from the recent hot and dry weather, with sales of meat, alcohol and cigarettes rising as BBQ season begins early. Retail sales rose by 1.2pc in April, a significant acceleration from the 0.1pc increase seen in March and much higher than analysts' forecasts of a 0.3 pc rise. It marks the fastest growth since August 2023, as good weather over the Easter weekend and the sunniest April on record pushed consumers to spend more on food and drink. Food sales rose by a 3.9pc, largely recovering from declines in February and March. Hannah Finselbach, a senior statistician at the ONS, said: 'After a poor couple of months, food sales bounced back with supermarkets reporting robust sales, while it was also a positive month for butchers and bakers, alcohol and tobacco stores. 'Looking more broadly, the three-monthly growth was the largest in nearly four years.' Consumer spending 'up across the board' Home and garden retailers received a boost from the weather, while clothing stores also benefitted. Jacqueline Windsor, the head of retail at PwC UK, said: 'Fashion retailers saw their first quarter of year-on-year growth since August 2023 as shoppers rushed to refresh their spring-summer wardrobes to take advantage of the good weather.' Kris Hamer at the British Retail Consortium said: 'With the first taste of summer, consumer spending was up across the board, with sales of food and drink performing particularly well as people hosted Easter gatherings, barbecues, and picnics. Consumer spending remained resilient despite fears that Rachel Reeves's £25bn tax raid on employers, which took effect last month, would dampen sentiment. The unexpectedly strong retail figures were announced as separate data showed consumer confidence rose slightly in May, boosted by the Bank of England's interest rate cut earlier this month. GfK's consumer confidence index rose by three points to -20 in May, with the public now more optimistic about the outlook for the UK economy over the next year and their personal finances. Neil Bellamy at GfK said: 'There's an improvement across all five key indicators in May … The measure for personal finances looking ahead for the next 12 months has moved out of negative territory, increasing by five points to + 2.' Nicholas Found, at Retail Economics, warned that the outlook remained challenging given that recent tax rises are expected to squeeze retailers' profits and push up prices. Mr Found said: 'Retailers welcomed some much-needed sunshine, as shoppers returned to DIY and gardening, while lighter evenings and social gatherings lifted food and drink spending, which had seen sluggish growth in recent months. 'Yet beneath the glimmer of momentum lies a more challenging reality. Budget and tariff-related costs are coming in, putting pressure on profitability. Retailers are navigating an increasingly complex environment, where protecting margins, sustaining investment and staying competitive is becoming harder.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shops boosted by hot and dry spring as BBQ season begins early
Shops have received a boost from the recent hot and dry weather, with sales of meat, alcohol and cigarettes rising as BBQ season begins early. Retail sales rose by 1.2pc in April, a significant acceleration from the 0.1pc increase seen in March and much higher than analysts' forecasts of a 0.3 pc rise. It marks the fastest growth since August 2023, as good weather over the Easter weekend and the sunniest April on record pushed consumers to spend more on food and drink. Food sales rose by a 3.9pc, largely recovering from declines in February and March. Hannah Finselbach, a senior statistician at the ONS, said: 'After a poor couple of months, food sales bounced back with supermarkets reporting robust sales, while it was also a positive month for butchers and bakers, alcohol and tobacco stores. 'Looking more broadly, the three-monthly growth was the largest in nearly four years.' Home and garden retailers received a boost from the weather, while clothing stores also benefitted. Jacqueline Windsor, the head of retail at PwC UK, said: 'Fashion retailers saw their first quarter of year-on-year growth since August 2023 as shoppers rushed to refresh their spring-summer wardrobes to take advantage of the good weather.' Kris Hamer at the British Retail Consortium said: 'With the first taste of summer, consumer spending was up across the board, with sales of food and drink performing particularly well as people hosted Easter gatherings, barbecues, and picnics. Consumer spending remained resilient despite fears that Rachel Reeves's £25bn tax raid on employers, which took effect last month, would dampen sentiment. The unexpectedly strong retail figures were announced as separate data showed consumer confidence rose slightly in May, boosted by the Bank of England's interest rate cut earlier this month. GfK's consumer confidence index rose by three points to -20 in May, with the public now more optimistic about the outlook for the UK economy over the next year and their personal finances. Neil Bellamy at GfK said: 'There's an improvement across all five key indicators in May … The measure for personal finances looking ahead for the next 12 months has moved out of negative territory, increasing by five points to + 2.' Nicholas Found, at Retail Economics, warned that the outlook remained challenging given that recent tax rises are expected to squeeze retailers' profits and push up prices. Mr Found said: 'Retailers welcomed some much-needed sunshine, as shoppers returned to DIY and gardening, while lighter evenings and social gatherings lifted food and drink spending, which had seen sluggish growth in recent months. 'Yet beneath the glimmer of momentum lies a more challenging reality. Budget and tariff-related costs are coming in, putting pressure on profitability. Retailers are navigating an increasingly complex environment, where protecting margins, sustaining investment and staying competitive is becoming harder.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
North Wales Chronicle
23-05-2025
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
Retail sales jump in April as sunny weather boosts food shopping
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said overall retail sales volumes increased by 1.2% in April. This compared with a 0.1% rise in March, which was revised down from a previous estimate of 0.4% for the month. April's retail sales growth surpassed expectations, with analysts having predicted a 0.4% increase. The ONS said the latest increase means growth over the past three months has been the 'largest in nearly four years' despite concerns over pressure on consumer budgets. Retail sales rose again for the fourth consecutive month. Retail sales volumes were up 1.2% in April 2025, following a rise of 0.1% in March 2025 (revised down from 0.4%). Read more ➡️ — Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) May 23, 2025 It comes as official data continues to show that wages – which rose 5.6% in the three months to March – are outpacing inflation, the increase in goods and services. In April, shoppers spent more on food and drink, with retailers linking the increase to warmer weather and the Easter holiday. Food stores reported a 3.9% rise in sales volumes – the strongest performance since January – with supermarkets, butchers, bakers and alcohol stores all trading well. Elsewhere, department stores and household goods retailers also said they benefited from better weather, recording growth of 2.8% and 2.1% respectively. However, clothing and shoe stores saw recent growth falter in April, reporting a 1.8% decline. ONS senior statistician Hannah Finselbach said: 'Sunny skies and warm temperatures helped boost retail sales in April with strong trading across most sectors. 'After a poor couple of months, food sales bounced back with supermarkets reporting robust sales, while it was also a positive month for butchers and bakers, alcohol and tobacco stores. 'Conversely, after a good March, clothing sales fell this month, although it was a brighter picture for department stores and household good shops whose sales grew.' Kris Hamer, director of insight at the British Retail Consortium, said: 'With the first taste of summer, consumer spending was up across the board, with sales of food and drink performing particularly well as people hosted Easter gatherings, barbecues and picnics. 'Darker days are coming as April brought an additional £5 billion in costs to retailers from increases in employer National Insurance Contributions and the national living wage. 'This is set to increase to £7 billion once the new packaging tax is introduced later this year.'
The Guardian
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Sunny spring drives retail spending in Great Britain to four-year high
Sunny spring weather sent shoppers flocking to supermarkets and specialists such as butchers, bakers and alcohol outlets last month, fuelling the strongest quarterly increase in retail sales in Great Britain in almost four years. Retail sales volumes soared 1.2% in April, well ahead of City economists' forecasts of an increase of between 0.2% and 0.4%, marking the fourth straight month of sales growth. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that over the three months to the end of April sales rose by 1.8%, compared with the November to January period, the largest quarterly rise since July 2021. The strong growth came despite the ONS revising down the 0.4% rise it had estimated in March to only 0.1%. 'Sunny skies and warm temperatures helped boost retail sales in April with strong trading across most sectors,' said Hannah Finselbach, a senior statistician at the ONS. 'After a poor couple of months, food sales bounced back with supermarkets reporting robust sales, while it was also a positive month for butchers and bakers, alcohol and tobacco stores.' The strongest growth was in food stores, with sales soaring 3.9% last month, mostly recovering the declines of February and March. Department stores registered a 2.8% increase in sales, while household goods stores rose 2.1%. However, in clothing, textile and footwear stores, which had experienced the strongest growth in March, sales fell by 1.8% last month. 'Other' non-food stores, such as sports and games retailers and secondhand shops, suffered the steepest decline at 3.1%. The UK enjoyed the sunniest and third warmest April on record, with just over half the normal rainfall, according to the Met Office. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion Matt Dalton, the consumer sector leader at Forvis Mazars, said: 'While we remain optimistic, we believe that consumers may adopt a more cautious approach to spending in the months ahead. Inflation spiked in April, wage growth is slowing, and consumer confidence is falling. Overall, we expect sales to rise, albeit at a more moderate pace than in the first four months of the year.'
