UK retail sales volumes jumped 1.0% mom in February, far surpassing market expectations for -0.3% mom decline.
The gain was driven by strong performances across all non-food store categories, including department stores, clothing, and household goods, suggesting consumers were more willing to spend on discretionary items. The only notable drag came from supermarkets, where sales volumes dipped slightly following a solid increase in January.
Looking at the broader trend, sales volumes rose 0.3% in the three months to February compared to the previous three-month period, and were up 2.0% from the same period a year earlier.
