UK retail sales tumble amid Covid-19 lockdown, but alcohol demand soars – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as UK retail sales fall at a record pace
- Latest: UK retail sales slumped 5.1% last month
- Clothing sales slump, but alcohol shops see surge
- Coronavirus – latest updates
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The record tumble in UK retail sales last month is clearly visible in this chart:
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Retail sales across the UK have fallen at a record pace under the lockdown, but demand for alcohol has soared.
The latest retail sales figures, just released, show that monthly retail sales volume fell by 5.1% in March.
UK retail sales figures show alcohol sales grew by 32.6% in March. That’s how we’re we getting through this; it’s a sloshdown more than a lockdown
Comments from food store retailers suggested that panic buying, or stockpiling during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, was a big factor in the increased sales, particularly for supermarkets (Table 3). Store closures were a reason provided by smaller food stores for reduced sales, although a small number did diversify with delivery-only orders.
Online sales as a proportion of all retailing reached a record high of 22.3% in March 2020 as consumers switched to online purchasing following the pandemic.