Internet retail sales value change in the UK January 2022, by sector

According to the data published by the Office for National Statistics in March 2022, online sales registered a negative trend over all the retail segments. Compared to March 2021, internet sales of department stores declined by 36.1 percent, while online sales in food retail showed a 20.4 percent decrease.

Decline after exceptional years

In May 2020, 60 percent of all retailing of household goods stores were realized online. This was an all-time peak due to the restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic. However, the post-pandemic trend shows that online channels stayed relevant. In September 2021, the proportion of internet sales to all retailing for this sector amounted to roughly 25 percent.

Internet food retail sales

Before coronavirus hit the UK, of all retail categories, food had not enjoyed typically such great shares in internet sales as 2019 numbers attest. Most recent numbers hint that despite the fact that essential businesses such as grocery stores remained open during the lockdown, consumers' preference for online shopping for food items altered the trend in internet sales in the food category greatly.