Retail sales data August 23

The latest retail sales data has just been published - key points in ghastly economic speak below. What we're keen to know is how are things for you as a retailer (bricks and mortar/online/hybrid) at the moment, and has how business been over the summer as a whole? How optimistic are you about the rest of the year and what are the key challenges you're facing at present? Any thoughts, send them across and we'll do our best to get them published in the local, national and trade media.

• Retail sales volumes are estimated to have risen by 0.4% in August 2023, partially recovering from a fall of 1.1% in July 2023 (revised from a fall of 1.2%). 
• Looking broader, sales volumes rose by 0.3% in the three months to August 2023 when compared with the previous three months. 
• Food stores sales volumes rose by 1.2% in August 2023, following a fall of 2.6% in July 2023 when supermarkets reported that the wet weather reduced clothing sales, and supermarket food sales also fell back.
• Non-food stores sales volumes grew by 0.6% in August 2023, following a fall of 1.2% in July 2023 when poor weather reduced footfall. 
• Non-store retailing (predominantly online retailers) sales volumes fell by 1.3% in August 2023, following a rise of 1.9% in July 2023 when wet weather and a range of promotions boosted sales.