Retail sales jump in July thanks to strongest online growth in three years

Retail sales in the UK saw an unexpected jump in July thanks to the strongest growth in online spending for three years.

Retail sales increased 0.2 percent in July compared to the previous month thanks to a 6.9 percent jump in online sales, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Online sales for the month contributed 19.9 percent to overall retailing, compared with 18.9 percent in June.

On a year-on-year basis, sales were up 3.3 percent, slowing from 3.8 percent in June, but still above estimates of a 2.6 percent growth.