Retail sales growth rose slightly last month following a stuttering start to the year after a stronger end to 2005, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The survey showed that sales volume increased by 0.7% between February 2006 and March 2006, an improvement on the 0.3% increase in February and a decrease of 1.7% in January.
Compared with the same period last year, total sales volumes in the three months to March 2006 were up by 1.8%.
However, looking at the figures on a three-monthly basis revealed a different pattern, with the volume of retail sales in the first three months of 2006 0.7% lower than in the last quarter of 2005. The decrease follows growth of 0.4% in the three months to February, and an increase of 0.3% during the same period in 2005.
Food sales saw relatively positive three-monthly growth in sales volume of 0.1% compared to a decrease of 1.4% for non-food stores.
Consumers also spent less on specialist books and personal electrical goods. Household goods stores showed a decrease of 1.8%, reflecting the reduced sales by DIY stores.
The average weekly value of sales in March was £4.5bn, 0.1% higher than in March 2005. Food stores saw an increase of 2.0% over the year compared with a decrease of 1.9% for non-food stores.
Chief UK Economist at Deutsche Bank, George Buckley, said: “Retail sales grew by 0.7% month on month in March, and while this was a little stronger than expected, it comes after a downwardly revised February reading of 0.3%.
"Rises of this magnitude are often reversed the following month, so strong growth in core retail sales would be required in April in order to keep such momentum going.”
