Retail sales rose unexpectedly in September despite looming tax rises at the budget later this month.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that transactions increased by 0.3 per cent over the month of September following a rise of 1 per cent in August. Analysts had expected sales to contract by 0.4 per cent.
Consumers splashed out on technology equipment but cut back spending in supermarkets. Retail sales remain 0.2 per cent lower compared with before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Over the three months to September, sales increased by 1.9 per cent, the joint largest quarterly rise since July 2021.
Hannah Finselbach, senior statistician at the ONS, said: “Retail sales grew in September as tech stores reported a notable rise in sales. These were