Retail sales: Key Economic Indicators

In December 2022, retail sales in Great Britain totalled £10.7 billion per week, up from £9.8 billion in November. This figure includes money spent in shops, supermarkets, in petrol stations and online.

Between November and November, the total quantity of retail sales fell by 1.4% following a fall of 0.4% between October and November.

In the three months to December 2022, the volume of sales fell by 5.7% compared to the same period last year. The volume of sales fell by 1.0% in the three months to December 2022 compared with the previous three months. The volume of sales was 1.7% lower in December 2022 than pre-pandemic levels (Feb 2020).

Sales in food stores fell by 0.3% in December compared to November, following an increase of 1.0% between October and November. Retailers have attributed the rise in food sales in November to early Christmas shopping.

The average weekly value of internet sales was £2.2 billion in December 2022 (excluding fuel). This was 25% of all retail sales, down slightly from November.