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Hot weather behind rise in retail sales in Great Britain in May

The Guardian Business Friday 19 June 2026, 08:17 UTC By Mark Sweney 1 min read
Key Points

Sales rose 1.2% spurred by demand for items such as fans and paddling pools, says Office for National StatisticsRetail sales bounced back to growth in May as record hot weather spurred sales of fans and paddling pools, while online purchases also surged. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the volume of retail sales in Great Britain grew 1.2% in May compared with the previous month, the strongest monthly rate of growth since January.

Sales rose 1.2% spurred by demand for items such as fans and paddling pools, says Office for National Statistics

Retail sales bounced back to growth in May as record hot weather spurred sales of fans and paddling pools, while online purchases also surged.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the volume of retail sales in Great Britain grew 1.2% in May compared with the previous month, the strongest monthly rate of growth since January.

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Great Britain (LOCATION) Office (ORG) The Office for National Statistics (ONS (ORG)
Originally published by The Guardian Business Read original →

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