Volume of retail sales, index / All retailers: Base year 2000=100 (Seasonally adjusted)
Sales volume in the three months September to November rose by 0.5 per cent compared with the previous three months.
Three-monthly growth in sales volume rose by 0.9 per cent for predominantly food stores. In predominantly non-food stores sales decreased by 0.3 per cent, with all sectors showing decreases except for other stores. Sales in the non-store retailing and repair sector rose by 4.6 per cent.
Total sales volume in the three months to November was 1.7 per cent higher than the same period a year ago, the lowest growth since March 2006, when it was 1.6 per cent. Sales for predominantly food stores increased by 0.9 per cent. Sales volume for predominantly non-food stores also increased by 0.9 per cent, the lowest growth since October 2005, when it was 0.6 per cent. Within predominantly non-food stores, non-specialised stores fell 3.8 per cent, the lowest growth since the series began in 1986. Household goods stores fell 2.1 per cent, the lowest since September 2005 when it fell 2.7 per cent. Sales for the non-store retailing and repair sector rose by 13.1 per cent.
Between October and November, total sales volume increased by 0.3 per cent. Sales volume in predominantly food stores rose by 0.2 per cent. Sales volume for predominantly non-food stores also rose by 0.2 per cent, where the only positive growth was for household goods stores which rose by 3.9 per cent. Sales volume for the non-store retailing and repair sector rose by 2.5 per cent.
The non-seasonally adjusted value of retail sales for the three months to November was 3.0 per cent higher than in the same period a year earlier. The average weekly value of sales in November was £5.8 billion, 2.9 per cent higher than in November 2007.
Notes: The November 2008 period covered the 4 weeks from 2 November to 29 November.
Retail sales volume is the total takings adjusted for inflation and the value of retail sales is the total actual takings.
All volume statistics referred to above are seasonally adjusted.
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Retail Sales Index First Release