Oxford Street, London.

UK sales volume in the three months May to July rose by 0.7 per cent compared with the previous three months. This follows 0.6 per cent growth in the three months to June, the UK Office for National Statistics said today.

Three-monthly growth in sales volume rose by 0.1 per cent for predominantly food stores. In predominantly non-food stores sales increased by 1.2 per cent. Sales in the non-store retailing and repair sector rose by 0.3 per cent. Sales in textile, clothing and footwear stores increased by 3.1 per cent, the highest growth in this sector since April 2007 when it was 3.4 per cent.

Total sales volume in the three months to July was 3.9 per cent higher than the same period a year ago. Sales for predominantly food stores rose by 2.2 per cent. Sales volume for predominantly non-food stores increased by 4.3 per cent. Sales for the non-store retailing and repair sector rose by 12.6 per cent.

Between July and June, total sales volume increased by 0.8 per cent. Sales volume in predominantly food stores rose by 0.3 per cent. Sales volume for predominantly non-food stores increased by 1.3 per cent. Sales volume for the non-store retailing and repair sector fell by 0.1 per cent. Sales in non-specialised stores fell by 2.6 per cent.

The non-seasonally adjusted value of retail sales for the three months to July was 4.7 per cent higher than in the same period a year earlier. The average weekly value of sales in July was £5.2 billion, 3.8 per cent higher than in July 2007. Sales by predominantly food stores rose by 6.7 per cent over the year. In the predominantly non-food stores sales increased by 1.3 per cent. Within the non-store retailing and repair sector sales rose by 3.8 per cent.