Retail sales improve for sixth month in row

Howard Archer, chief economic advisor to the EY ITEM Club, said: “Retail sales have been supported in recent months by the release of pent-up demand after reopening in mid-June.”

Karen Johnson, head of retail and wholesale at Barclays Corporate Banking, said: “Lots of people rushed to the shops over the last weekend in October to get in ahead of the national lockdown. Local restrictions also prevented people spending money on travel and leisure activities, which led to a transference of spend into the retail sector.”

Aled Patchett, head of retail and consumer at Lloyds Bank, said: “October’s sales were no doubt boosted by the appetite among shoppers to have Christmas sewn up early along with the desire to stock up on essentials in anticipation of the current lockdown coming into play.”

Richard Lim, chief executive of Retail Economics, said: “These numbers report punchy growth and provide strong evidence of shoppers starting their Christmas shopping earlier this year. Faced with uncertainty around further restrictions and fears about availability, spending has been shifted forward which will come at the expense of sales later in the year."

The ONS data comes as non-essential retailers wait for confirmation they can reopen stores when the latest lockdown, which started earlier this month in England, is scheduled to end in early December.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “The most important issue is to ensure all shops can reopen from the start of December as the all-important Christmas shopping period gets into full swing. Retailers have spent hundreds of millions on safety measures to protect colleagues and customers, and they stand prepared for reopening.”