{"id":127982,"date":"2021-06-08T01:29:58","date_gmt":"2021-06-08T01:29:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/?p=127982"},"modified":"2021-06-08T01:29:58","modified_gmt":"2021-06-08T01:29:58","slug":"uk-retailers-report-strong-may-sales-after-lockdown-ends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/markets\/uk-retailers-report-strong-may-sales-after-lockdown-ends\/","title":{"rendered":"UK retailers report strong May sales after lockdown ends"},"content":{"rendered":"
LONDON (Reuters) – British retailers reported a big boost in sales in May, after lockdown measures ended the month before and a relaxation of COVID restrictions on hospitality drew more shoppers into town centres, industry data showed on Tuesday.<\/p> The British Retail Consortium said total sales among its members, who include supermarkets and high-street chains, were 10.0% higher last month than in May two years ago.<\/p>\n This was the biggest increase in sales compared with 2019 for any month since the start of the pandemic.<\/p>\n \u201cThe rain in May failed to dampen consumer demand and shoppers continued to return to the high street,\u201d Paul Martin, head of retail at survey sponsor KPMG, said.<\/p>\n Compared with May 2020, when most non-food retailers were shut due to lockdown restrictions, total sales were 28.4% higher.<\/p>\n Clothes, shoes and furniture saw especially strong gains in sales, the BRC said, benefiting from shoppers being able to view goods in person since non-essential retailers were allowed to reopen in April after months of closure.<\/p>\n Relaxed restrictions on socialising also encouraged shoppers to buy new summer clothes.<\/p>\n Payment processor Barclaycard, which sees almost half of credit and debit card transactions, said consumer spending was 7.6% higher than in May two years ago.<\/p>\n Pubs and restaurants were able to serve customers indoors from May 17, though only at reduced capacity.<\/p>\n Barclaycard said spending at restaurants last month was still 54% below its level two years ago, while spending at pubs and bars was 19% lower. But this was an improvement from April when sales were down 74% and 67% respectively.<\/p>\n Foreign travel remains highly restricted. Spending with airlines was 74% lower than in May 2019, little better than April.<\/p>\n