According to the report from Office for National Statistics, in the three months to May 2019, the quantity bought in retail sales increased by 1.6% when compared with the previous three months, with growth across all stores except department stores and household goods stores. The fall of 0.9% in the quantity bought in department stores in the three months to May 2019 was the eighth consecutive month of no positive growth in this sector.

The quantity bought in May 2019 decreased by 0.5% when compared with the previous month, with a strong decline of 4.5% in clothing sales. In May 2019, online retailing accounted for 19.3% of total retailing, with an overall growth of 8.2% when compared with the same month a year earlier.

When compared with a year earlier, both the amount spent and quantity bought showed growth of 2.7% and 2.3% respectively in May 2019. The year-on-year growth rate in the average store price for clothing fell for the ninth consecutive month in May 2019 but evidence from retailers suggested that the poor weather may have delayed the sales for summer ranges.