UK retail sales values were up 1.0% on a like-for-like basis from August 2009, when sales had fallen 0.1%. On a total basis, sales were up 2.8% against a 2.2% increase in August 2009.

Food sales growth slowed a little. Clothing and footwear sales strengthened, helped by new autumn/winter ranges and back-to-school. Homewares edged up but sales were still often deal-driven, with big-ticket items affected by consumer uncertainty over job cuts and income prospects.

Non-food non-store sales (internet, mail-order and phone sales) picked up in August and were 17.8% higher than a year ago, but this was against an exceptionally weak 8% gain in August 2009