Retail sales rose by 0.3 per cent in November from the month before and by 2 per cent compared with the same period in 2012, while online sales hit a record 11.9 per cent of all sales except fuel.
However, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which compiled the figures, the underlying pattern in the data, as suggested by the three month on three month movement remained flat due to a contraction in the quantity bought in food stores and petrol stations offsetting growth in non-food stores and non-store retailing.
The volume of sales on the high street rose mainly through shoppers buying warmer clothes now the weather has finally turned colder, with textiles, clothing and footwear sales jumping 3.8 per cent over the month, and the figures reveal a rise in the average weekly spend of £7.6bn in November 2013 up from £7.3bn in November last year.
Meanwhile, the proportion of sales made online increased by 1.4 per cent to a record 11.9 per cent of all retail sales, excluding fuel. Notably the online spend at department stores was estimated at a record 11.4 per cent, reflecting feedback from retailers that suggested that investment in their Internet sites has boosted sales but at the same time detracted from sales in store.
However, the figures also revealed that small stores experienced more growth year on year than large stores, with the amount spent in smaller concerns up 4.5 per cent compared with 2.9 per cent in large stores.
The figures appear to reveal renewed confidence in the economy, as retailing is seen as a key indicator of consumer confidence. Household consumption contributed 0.5 per cent to economic growth of 0.8 per cent in the third quarter.