LONDON - British retail sales volumes in January were 1.9% higher than in December and 9.1% above their level a year earlier, when non-essential shops were closed due to a COVID-19 lockdown, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday.
Economists polled by had on average forecast a 1.0% monthly rise in retail sales for January and an annual increase in volumes of 8.7%.
(Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by Kate Holton)