The volume of retail sales (i.e. excluding price effects) increased by 0.7% in May 2016 when compared with April 2016 and there was an increase of 8.1% in the annual figure.

If Motor Trades are excluded, there was an increase of 1.2% in the volume of retail sales in May 2016 when compared with April 2016 and there was an increase of 6.5% in the annual figure.

The sectors with the largest month on month volume increases were Hardware, Paints & Glass (+14.3%), Books, Newspapers and Stationery (+10.1%) and Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+9.7%). The sectors with the largest monthly decreases were Electrical Goods (-1.9%), Motor Trades (-1.6%) and Food Beverages & Tobacco (-1.2%).

There was an increase of 0.6% in the value of retail sales in May 2016 when compared with April 2016 and there was an annual increase of 5.3% when compared with May 2015. If Motor Trades are excluded, there was an increase of 1.5% in the value of retail sales and an annual increase of 3.9%.