UK
retail sales rose by 0.4% in August compared with the previous month, according
to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Sales
volumes were up 3.9% compared with the same month a year earlier.
The
ONS said there was big rise in household goods sales compared with a year
earlier, led by furniture and electrical appliance stores.
It
added that this had been helped by demand for high powered vacuum cleaners
ahead of new EU regulation.
Under
EU energy saving regulations that came into force at the end of August,
companies in the EU are now banned from making or importing vacuum cleaners
above 1600 watts.
The
ONS also said
