British retail sales rose far stronger than expected in April from the previous month, official data showed on Thursday, with customers profiting from falling prices.
Sales by volume jumped by 1.2 percent last month compared with March, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement. Analysts` consensus forecast had been for a gain of 0.4 percent after a fall in March.
Retail sales grew by 4.7 percent in April compared with one year earlier, the ONS added.
"April`s jump in retail sales fuels belief that there is little risk of consumers delaying purchases in the expectation that prices will fall over the coming months," noted Howard Archer, chief UK economist at research group IHS Global Insight.
With British inflation hitting negative territory, threatening deflation or a sustained period of falling prices, some analysts have warned that economic growth could be hit by consumers delaying purchases in the hope of further price falls.
"Deflation is not causing consumers to hold back and hope for a better bargain further down the road," said Scotiabank economist Alan Clarke.
"Rather, consumers are spending the windfall from the reduced burden of food and energy bills."
Sales of summer clothing won a lift owing to warmer-than-expected weather last month in Britain.
