UK Retail Sales Record Best Annual Start Since 2021 Despite Economic Pressure

British retailers have recorded their best start to a year since 2021, in what could be a temporary boost to the economy amid mounting pressure from high living bills and the US trade war, which is weighing on consumer sentiment.

The Office for National Statistics reported on Friday that retail sales volumes rose by 0.4% in March alone, following a downwardly revised 0.7% growth in February, according to Reuters.

Across the first quarter as a whole, retail sales rose by 1.6%, their strongest performance in four years, adding 0.08 percentage points to quarterly GDP growth. However, these results could represent a temporary peak for British household consumption for the foreseeable future.