Sunshine and Easter put a spring in retail sales – Daily Business

Retailers are enjoying a spring bounce on the back of sunny weather and the later Easter break which combined to lift sales in April by 7% compared with last year.

Consumers defied the increases in tax and other costs last month to spend more on DIY and gardening products.

Figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the business advisers KPMG show a sharp uplift.

Although they acknowledged the role played by the later Easter break, they noted that spending in both March and April was up 4.3% compared with the same two months last year, giving a more direct comparison that was also favourable.

In April, food sales climbed by 8.2% year-on-year and non-food sales by 6.1%. The figures are supported by data from the Office for National Statistics which showed that sales increased by 1.6% in the first three months of the year.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: “The sunniest April on record brought with it a boost to retail sales.

“While the stronger performance was partially a result of Easter falling in April this year, the sunshine prompted strong consumer spending across the board.”