Food retailers took a large proportion of increased retail sales recorded during April, with a 3.9% boost.

Overall UK retail sales rose by an estimated 1.2% during April, following a 0.1% rise during March, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The increase was stronger than expected, with food store sales volumes seeing the highest levels of growth. Sales volumes in food stores increased by 3.9% during April, across supermarkets and specialist retailers such as butchers and bakers.

Overall, sales rose by 1.8% in the three months to April, compared with the three months to January. This is the largest three month rise recorded since July 2021.

The figures show the fourth consecutive month of increasing sales volumes. Volumes were up by 0.3% compared to pre-Covid 19 levels measured in February 2020, and at their highest level in nearly three years, since July 2022.

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Year-on-year, sales for the three months to April were 2.6% ahead of the same period last year, the largest increase since March 2022.

But while food volumes were up, non-food stores saw a 0.7% decline in sales volumes.

The ONS suggests that good weather may have encouraged food sales, with Met Office data showing that April was the sunniest and third warmest April on record.

“Sunny skies and warm temperatures helped boost retail sales in April with strong trading across most sectors,” ONS senior statistician Hannah Finselbach told The Guardian. “After a poor couple of months, food sales bounced back with supermarkets reporting robust sales, while it was also a positive month for butchers and bakers, alcohol and tobacco stores.”