UK retail sales jumped 1.4% in November. Retail sales are 4.7% higher than the same period a year earlier.
The latest figures show that clothing sales are up by 2.9% and other non-food stores saw growth increase by 2.8%.
Commenting on the figures, Danni Hewson, AJ Bell financial analyst, said: “It looked like Santa had got the memo from retailers and was on track to deliver them the kind of Christmas they could only dream about in 2020. With the exception of food, sales were up across the board in November as people shopped early and shopped hard.
“More cash was spent on clothing as people got their glam ready to socialise in the run up to Christmas, sales actually soared above pre pandemic levels for the first time as people grew more and more confident about their festive plans.
“Omicron was an unexpected gift and one most retailers wish they could return. Despite a surge in spend on the high street in November which did take cash away from those online behemoths, December’s already shaping up to be a very different story. Footfall is down dramatically and there will be some consumers deciding what they don’t have now they won’t be buying, or they’ll resort back to their virtual baskets.”