British retail sales rebounded less than expected in November, as strong supermarket sales were offset by a tough month for clothing stores in the run-up to the crucial Christmas shopping period.
The quantity of goods bought rose by 0.2 per cent between October and November, following a 0.7 contraction in the previous month, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a 0.5 per cent increase, although had cautioned that the figures would be affected by Black Friday falling in December this year.
Hannah Finselbach, ONS senior statistician, said: “For the first time in three months there was a boost for food store sales, particularly supermarkets. It was also a good month for household goods retailers, most notably furniture shops.”