LONDON, June 20 (Xinhua) -- British retail sales rose by 2.3 percent in May, compared with the same period of last year, according to figures released Thursday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Data showed that the quantity bought in May rose by 2.3 percent year on year, with non-store retailing contributing the most to the growth.
In the three months to May 2019, the quantity bought rose by 1.6 percent, compared with the previous three months, with growth across all stores except department stores and household goods stores.
On a monthly basis, the quantity bought dropped by 0.5 percent in May, with a significant decline of 4.5 percent in clothing sales.
Meanwhile, online retailing accounted for 19.3 percent of total retailing in May, growing by 8.2 percent compared with the same period a year earlier.
"Retail sales continued to grow in the latest three months despite two consecutive monthly falls, with clothing sales declining considerably in May, due to unseasonably cold weather," Rhian Murphy, head of retail sales at the ONS, said.