This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/business/8044484.stm

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Sunny Easter boosts April sales Sunny Easter boosts April sales
(about 7 hours later)
Sunny weather over Easter pushed UK retail sales sharply up in April from the same month a year ago, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said.Sunny weather over Easter pushed UK retail sales sharply up in April from the same month a year ago, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said.
Like-for-like sales, which do not include those from new shops, grew by 4.6%, the figures showed.Like-for-like sales, which do not include those from new shops, grew by 4.6%, the figures showed.
But the data must to be treated with caution, the BRC said, because Easter - which usually sees a sales surge - fell in April, but was in March in 2008.But the data must to be treated with caution, the BRC said, because Easter - which usually sees a sales surge - fell in April, but was in March in 2008.
Warm, bright April days also contrasted with last April's rain, it added.Warm, bright April days also contrasted with last April's rain, it added.
These factors made "comparisons difficult" said the BRC's director general Stephen Robertson.These factors made "comparisons difficult" said the BRC's director general Stephen Robertson.
'No celebration''No celebration'
He added that while sales of garden goods, outdoor leisure, clothing and food did well, other non-food sectors missed out on the seasonal boost.He added that while sales of garden goods, outdoor leisure, clothing and food did well, other non-food sectors missed out on the seasonal boost.
The total amount spent on food rose less than food inflation - indicating that volumes had dropped, Mr Robertson added. "Over the last three months sales have gone up by about 2%, but that is below inflation," Mr Robertson told the BBC.
"Following a tough winter, there's some pent up demand but there's no reason to think customers suddenly feel flush or eager to spend. "What we're seeing is a real polarisation: food has romped away, whereas non-food, except for the last month, has been dropping every month [this year]."
"With unemployment set to grow through the rest of the year, mounting jobs worries will hold back spending for some time. The BRC said that the big danger to come this year for the retail sector would be the impact of rising unemployment, which Mr Robertson described as "the elephant in the room".
"It would be great if the historically weak performance of the last 12 months was behind us but we shouldn't celebrate yet." "With unemployment set to grow through the rest of the year, mounting jobs worries will hold back spending for some time."