The monthly inquiry into retail sales is a sample survey carried out by the Office for National Statistics on 5,000 businesses in Great Britain. It includes all large retailers and a representative sample of smaller businesses.

From this survey the Retail Sales Index (RSI) is compiled each month. This is a key indicator in the progress of the economy. It is also used to help estimate consumer spending on retail goods and the output of the retail sector, both of which feed into the compilation of the National Accounts.

For each four-or-five-week period, respondents report their total value of retail sales for all their outlets and by mail order (including via the internet). The statistics include VAT.

The RSI is a base year weighted index and its weightings are currently derived from the 2000 Annual Business Inquiry.

The reference year has been set at 2000 = 100.

The value of retail sales reported via the monthly survey is converted to a constant price, or volume, basis using weighted contributions of price indices for various categories of retail goods. These commodity price indices are consistent with the retail price indices published by the ONS every month.

Instalment credit sales are valued at the credit price of the goods, that is including deposits and, where credit is provided by the shop, credit charges. Figures of credit sales relate only to the period during which the transactions took place; cash received from credit sales in previous periods is not included. Sales by chemists and opticians exclude receipts under the National Health Service. Sales of automotive fuel are also excluded.

Statistics provided by HMSO - media e PSI Licence No. C2006010687

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