In the CBI’s latest monthly Distributive Trades Survey, covering the first two weeks in September, 33 per cent of retailers reported that sales volumes were up on a year ago, with only just over a quarter stated that sales had fallen.
Stock levels also fell back relative to expected demand and are now at their lowest since September 2009.
Nonetheless, for the fifth consecutive month, just under a quarter of high street retailers considered the volume of sales to be significantly below average for the time of year .
Judith McKenna, Chair of the CBI Distributive Trades Panel and Asda Chief Operating Officer, said: “It is encouraging that sales on the high street have seen a slight rise in the year to September, and that retailers expect growth to pick up further next month.
“However, while the squeeze on family budgets may have eased in the short term thanks to the fall in inflation, on-going economic fragility, reflecting uncertainty around the international outlook, could affect household spending later in the year.”
