Furniture and flooring see annual sales rise

The retail value of furniture and lighting sales in England, Scotland and Wales dropped by 1.41% in August compared with July, but was still 5.1% higher than year earlier.

Sales were £1,264,938,000.

Compared with August 2021, sales were 10.15% higher. They were 14.4% higher than August 2020 and 17.69% higher than August 2019.

According to Office for National Statistics data, August was the 40th highest month for furniture and lighting sales since January 1986 when comparable records began.

Flooring sales dropped by 0.8% between July and August 2023, but were still almost twice that of pre-Covid levels.

Sales in August, at £226,646,000, were 6.4% higher than August 2022.

Compared with 2021, they were 26.2% higher, and they were up 92.1% on 2020 and 99.5% higher than 2019.

Sales were the 49th highest since 1986.

The data is not seasonally adjusted, is subject to revision and makes no allowance for inflation.