CBI Realized Sales

An accurate early indicator of monthly retail sales in the U.K. CBI realized sales was first introduced in 1983 by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and is based on the CBI's Distributive Trades Survey (DTS), which covers 20,000 outlets of firms responsible for a large component of the of retail sector.

The CBI realized sales number is reported as a balance figure, and is based on the difference in the percentage of U.K. retailers reporting an increase in retail sales and those reporting a decrease. An increasing positive balance figure indicates strong retail sales and by extension, a robust economy.

The DTS Survey asks U.K. retailers specific questions about how their sales and orders for the current month and expectations for the next month compare with a year earlier. The results are grouped into different retail categories, ranging from grocers to recreational goods.