A “rush” to buy Easter Eggs helped to fuel the strongest boost to retail sales in four years, official figures reveal.
Sales rose for UK retailers last month as warmer weather helped drive stronger demand from shoppers for food and drink.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said overall retail sales volumes increased by 1.2% in April.
This compared with a 0.1% rise in March, which was revised down from a previous estimate of 0.4% for the month.
April’s retail sales growth surpassed expectations, with analysts having predicted a 0.4% increase.
The ONS said the latest increase means growth over the past three months has been the “largest in nearly four years” despite concerns over pressure on consumer budgets.
The figures are a boost to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, as she tries to rebuild the public finances, and come after stronger than expected GDP growth for the UK economy in the first three months of the year of 0.7%.
They also come as official data continues to show that wages, which rose 5.6% on average in the three months to March, are outpacing inflation, the increase in goods and services.
ONS senior statistician Hannah Finselbach said: “Sunny skies and warm temperatures helped boost retail sales in April with strong trading across most sectors.
“After a poor couple of months, food sales bounced back with supermarkets reporting robust sales, while it was also a positive month for butchers and bakers, alcohol and tobacco stores.
“Conversely, after a good March, clothing sales fell this month, although it was a brighter picture for department stores and household good shops whose sales grew.”
But inflation is proving stubbornly difficult to bring down to the Bank of England’s two per cent target, being above City expectations at 3.5% in April.
It means that pay rises for millions of public sector workers, including teachers, nurses, soldiers, doctors and prison officers, of between 3.2% and 4.5%, will for many of them barely keep up with inflation.
Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Reeves can point to trade deals with the European Union, the US and India, as evidence that they are getting a grip on Britain’s struggling economy.
But the Tories accuse the Chancellor of damaging the economy with her “jobs tax” hike in National Insurnance contributions for employers.
The Prime Minister on Thursday announced a partial U-turn on the cuts to winter fuel payments after a furious backlash against the controversial policy from voters and Labour MPs.
But the Government is yet to say whether it will mean millions more pensioners will get the fuel allowance this year, or next.
