21/07/11
By Karen Moss
Retail sales recovered slightly in June as stores started their summer sales early, official figures have shown. Like-for-like sales excluding petrol were 0.8 per cent higher than May, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Compared with June 2010, sales were up 0.2 per cent after a decline of 1.5 per cent in May from April. The official ONS figures come a week after the British Retail Consortium said early summer price discounting had slowed the rate of sales decline on the High Street.
The continuing weakness in the retail sector comes after a number of well-known names have gone into administration, including Jane Norman, Habitat, Focus DIY, Homeform, TJ Hughes and Oddbins.
Other retailers such as Carpetright, HMV, Thorntons, JJB Sports, Comet and Blacks Leisure have shut stores.
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