Beds were the standout category in July
Furniture sales fell mid-single digits in July as one of the longest and hottest summers on record continued to take its toll on retailers across the length and breadth of the UK.

Combined upholstery, cabinet and beds sales fell 6.0 percent to £607.3 million according to proprietary data compiled by The Furnishing Report.

That represented a cash fall of nearly £40 million in takings across the three product groupings, which make up the bulk of UK furniture sales.

Beds and mattress sales continued to be the standout category, up £10 million compared with July 2017, while the larger upholstery and cabinet furniture categories — excluding kitchens — were each down more than £20 million on the same month a year ago.

Carpet sales were down 3.1 percent to £106.0 million (July 2017: £109.4m).

Last week, the Office for National Statistics said furniture and lighting sales were down 0.1 percent year-on-year in July at £1.09 billion.