Retail sales rebounded in January as shoppers went on a determined spending spree, latest figures show.
ONS figures revealed a 3.4% jump in sales following a drop in December 2023.
Food sales at supermarkets rose strongly while department stores reported a good impact from January sales.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that the value of goods people bought in January went up 3.9%, compared to the 3.4% increase in the volume of products purchased.
Inflation, which measures the pace of price rises, has slowed significantly but at 4% it remains higher than the Bank of England’s (BoE) 2% target.
Sales increased across nearly all retail sectors, and it was a particularly strong month for supermarkets according to the ONS.