Online-only sellers were the largest contributors to retail growth in the three months to April with non-store retailing reporting more than 9% growth.
The increase is the highest since records began and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) thinks the growth could be partly down to a range of promotions and sales.
The record quarter for online retail failed to offset a slow April for sales. Overall retail sales in the three months to April increased by under 2%.
According to ONS statistician Rhian Murphy, the three-month growth was helped by warmer weather.
In April 2019, online retailing accounted for 18.7% of total retailing compared with 17.7% in April 2018, with an overall growth of 10.1% when compared with the same month a year earlier.
