Retail sales increased for the third consecutive month in March, since the warmest climate helped increase the demand for items such as clothing and DIY items.
Sales volumes rose 0.4% last month, said the National Statistics Office, with the sun helping a variety of sectors.
However, the ONS said it was another poor month for food sales, partly in supermarkets.
Analysts also warned that the recent series of sales people could be about to get to an end after a separate survey suggested that consumer confidence fell in April.
The latest retail sales figures were stronger than expected, and analysts predicted a 0.4% drop in March.
The increase last month means that along the quarter from January to March, sales volumes increased 1.6% compared to the previous quarter, which was the greatest increase for almost four years.
The sunny climate in March helped sales in Garden Centers, which reported “Robust Commerce,” said the Ons.
Sales in non -food stores increased 1.7% during the month, but this was partially compensated by food store sales volumes fell 1.3%.
However, a GFK market research firm survey suggested that consumer confidence in April fell to the lowest level since November 2023, as people faced growing invoices and became more pessimistic about the prospects of the economy.
“Consumers not only have a bone fight with multiple increases in April costs in the form of public services, municipal taxes, timbre taxes and road taxes, but are also listening to terrible warnings of high renewed inflation in the back of Trump’s tariffs in Neil Bellamy.
