UK Online Retail Sales Report summary
April 2024
Period covered: Period covered: 25 February – 30 March 2024
3 minute read
Note: This report summary is one or two months behind the current month as standard reporting practice. The content is indicative only and incomplete with certain data undisclosed. Become a member to access this data or take out a free 30 day membership trial now.
Online Retail sales
Online retail sales growth rose by xx% YoY in March (value and non-seasonally adjusted), against a xx% rise a year ago.
Unsettled weather, the timing of Easter and a muted Mother’s Day impacted performance amid an improving but still weak consumer environment:
Unseasonable weather: The weather was unsettled, wet and dull with this March the third wettest since xxxx.
By mid-month, several counties including London and Kent, had already experienced their whole-month average rainfall and continued to be soaked throughout the remainder of the month.
During heavy rainfall, shoppers hesitated to go out, prompting a shift towards online shopping.
Easter timing: This year’s early Easter meant some sales were pulled into the March trading period (having been in April a year ago). This had a notable boost to Food as consumers stocked up on seasonal essentials.
Mother’s Day: Trading around Mother’s Day was muted amid ongoing pressure to household budgets. There was a notable weakness in demand for Jewellery and watches with consumers opting for lower value gifts this year.
Sector performance
In terms of sector performance, online Food (xx%) spending bounced back as top line growth was supported by the early timing of Easter. Value-seeking behaviour was also prevalent with over three-quarters (xx%) of shoppers actively buying cheaper groceries (Kantar). This is despite food inflation falling back to its lowest level since xxxx (xx%, ONS).
Elsewhere, three out of four Non-Food categories recorded a decline, with disappointing performances from Household Goods (xx%) and Clothing and Footwear (xx%).
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Online penetration stabilises
Source: ONS, Retail Economics Analysis
