Furniture and lighting sales dropped in September while flooring sales continued to show growth.
According to the Office of National Statistics first estimate of September’s retail sales, the furniture and lighting sector in England, Wales and Scotland saw sales drop 6.47% compared with August. This was almost twice the rate of decline seen in August versus July.
Average weekly sales were £283,022,000.
Compared with September 2020, sales were down 5.6% and compared with September 2019 sales were 2.71% lower.
In contrast the flooring sector saw sales increase by 3.57% compared with August, fall by 1.9% compared with September 2020 and be 43% higher than September 2019.
Average weekly sales were £40,200,000.
For the year to date (January to September), furniture and lighting sales were 25.65% higher than 2020 but 9.29% lower than 2019.
For the year to date (January to September), flooring sales were 23.8% higher than 2020 and 10.71% higher lower than 2019.
Putting the respective performances into perspective, April 2020 saw the lowest furniture and lighting sales recorded since January 1986 at £61,406,000 a week. May 2021 was the highest recorded figure since January 1986, with weekly sales of £360,609,000. Outside of the pandemic period March 1986 is the lowest sales figure at £98,453,000 a week (and the third lowest since January 1986). The highest is £327,989,000 in November 2018 (and the third highest since January 1986).
For flooring, April 2020 is lowest recorded figure since January 1986 at £7,928,000 and November 2007 is the highest recorded figure since January 1986 at £64,754,000. Outside pandemic times, £22,492,000 is the lowest figure, set in December 2015 (and the tenth lowest on record).
The latest figures are subject to revision by ONS.
