Retail sales volumes increased by 0.5% between May and June 2021, and were up 9.5% when compared to their pre-pandemic levels in February 2020, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

Total turnover increased by 1.6% between May and June, meanwhile, and by 10.6% compared to figures seen in February 2020.

The largest contribution to the monthly increase came from food stores, where sales volumes increased by 4.2%, which Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics, said were "boosted by football fans across Britain enjoying the Euros".

Sales in non-food stores fell by 1.7%, however, driven by poorer performance in household goods stores, including furniture and clothing shops.

While the proportion of online retail sales remains higher today than before the pandemic, it did drop in June by 1.7% to 26.7%, down from 28.4% in May.

Fuel sales also increased by 2.3% in June as people continued to take advantage of easing restrictions and increased their amount of travel.

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