Compared with May 2017, the volume of retail sales increased by 0.6%, with non-food stores providing the main contribution, up 1.8%.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that warmer weather boosted clothing sales for retailers, however, household goods stores saw the biggest increase across all non-food retailers, with volumes up 3.3% for the month and a 2.7% rise the amount spent by consumers. Prices also held, with just a 0.3% drop in average store price.

‘Other stores’ within the non-food category, which includes carpet and floorcovering retailers, reported a 1.5% increase for June, with the average store price down 0.5% for the month, in line with the non-food stores category as a whole.

Average weekly spending online was £1.1 billion in June; an increase of 15.9% compared with June 2016. The amount spent online accounted for 16.2% of all retail spending, excluding automotive fuel, compared with 16.0% in May 2017

Online sales of household goods, saw the smallest year-on-year growth across the non-food store categories, up 8.7%. Department stores, meanwhile, reported a 15.6% year-on-year jump in internet sales, accounting for 14% of sales as a proportion of all retailing.

Across all non-food store categories, online sales growth was +12.8% in June, accounting for 12% of all retailing.

In the three months to June 2017, the volume bought in the retail industry is estimated to have increased by 1.5%, with increases seen across all store types.

The growth for Q2 (Apr to June) 2017 follows a decline of 1.4% in Quarter 1 (Jan Mar) 2017, meaning we are broadly at the same level as at the start of 2017.

Commenting on today’s official retail figures, Office for National Statistics (ONS) senior statistician Kate Davies said: “Today’s retail sales figures show overall growth. A particularly warm June seems to have prompted strong sales in clothing, which has compensated for a decline in food and fuel sales for the month.

"Looking at the quarterly data, the underlying trend, as suggested by the three-month on three-month movement is one of growth, following a fall in quarter 1, suggesting a relatively flat first half of 2017."