Economic Activity And Social Change In The UK, Real-time Indicators: 18 November 2021

19th November 2021

Shelf availability of items between 12 and 15 November 2021 was lowest for "crisps (multipack)", with 29% of this item's availability marked as "none" or "low"; shelf availability was highest for the "beer" category, as 71% of this item was recorded as having "high" availability (Kantar Public). Section 3.

In the week to 14 November 2021, the UK had the lowest average daily flights relative to the level seen on the equivalent day of 2019 (64%) when compared with Spain (81%), France (77%) and Germany (73%) (EUROCONTROL). Section 4.

The preceding seven-day rolling average gas price increased by 4% in the week to 14 November 2021 and is over three times higher than the start of the year, despite this, it is 23% lower than five weeks ago (week ending 10 October 2021) (National Grid). Section 5.

The total volume of online job adverts on 12 November 2021 decreased by 2% to 144% of its February 2020 average level; the highest level of job adverts relative to February 2020 continues to be in the "transport, logistics and warehouse" category, at 393% (Adzuna). Section 6.

In the week to 11 November 2021, the aggregate CHAPS-based indicator of credit and debit card purchases decreased by 4 percentage points from the previous week, to 101% of its February 2020 average (Bank of England CHAPS data). Section 7.

Overall retail footfall in the UK rose slightly by 1% in the week to 13 November 2021 and was 85% of the level seen in the equivalent week of 2019 (Springboard). Section 8.

Transactions at Pret A Manger stores in the week ending 11 November 2021 remained lowest in London city stores, at 88% of the January 2020 average level (Pret A Manger). Section 9.

There was an average of 285 daily ship visits in the week to 14 November 2021, an 8% increase from the previous week; the average number of daily cargo and tanker ship visits was 95, which was a 10% increase from the previous week, and the largest weekly increase since 15 August 2021 (exactEarth). Section 10.

The volume of motor vehicle traffic on Monday 15 November 2021 was at 96% of its level in the first week of February 2020, broadly unchanged for the fourth consecutive week (Department for Transport). Section 11.

In the week ending 14 November 2021, the seasonally adjusted average count of traffic camera activity for cars in London and the North East remained broadly similar to the previous week, at 112% and 107% of the average level in the week before the first UK-wide lockdown, respectively (Transport for London; North East Traffic Cameras). See the accompanying dataset.

Three-quarters (75%) of businesses currently trading and who had imported in the last 12 months experienced a challenge importing in late October to early November 2021; this was up from 60% in late September 2021, a change in reference period for the question may have impacted the responses. Business insights and impact on the UK economy: 18 November 2021.

Of the 96% of adults in Great Britain who reported leaving home in the past seven days, the proportion that did so and reported wearing a face covering increased slightly by 2 percentage points from the previous period to 85% (Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, 3 to 14 November 2021). Section 12.

There were 15,290 company incorporations in the week to 12 November 2021, an increase of 4% from the previous week and an increase of 28% from the equivalent week of 2019 (11,992) (Companies House). See the accompanying dataset.

There were 5,560 voluntary dissolution applications (an application from a company to dissolve) in the week to 12 November 2021, a decrease of 5% from the previous week and a decrease of 34% from the equivalent week of 2019 (8,400) (Companies House). See the accompanying dataset.

In the week to 9 November 2021, the four-week rolling average of compulsory dissolution first gazettes (a notice issued by Companies House indicating their intention to remove a company from the register) was 11,343, broadly unchanged from the previous week (11,292) (Companies House). See the accompanying dataset.

The seven-day average estimate of UK seated diners in the week to 15 November 2021 was 117% of the level in the equivalent week of 2019 (OpenTable).

Shelf availability of items from UK shops
Shelf availability research for shops across the UK has been undertaken by Kantar Public. Collectors gathered information on a range of items from up to three different stores across multiple locations, recording availability across four categories: "none", "low", "medium", or "high". It is important to note these categories are subjective as they are recorded by individual collectors. The data were collected between 12 and 15 November 2021. This new series will be updated weekly.

In the current period (12 to 15 November 2021), the overall proportion of observations for all items recorded as "high" was 54%; this was broadly similar to the previous four-day period (5 to 8 November 2021). Observations for all items recorded at "none" or "low" was 10%, also remaining broadly similar compared with the previous period.

Across the four availability categories, the largest proportion of observations recorded as "high" was "beer" at 71%, followed by "chocolate selection boxes" at 67%. The highest proportion of items with availability recorded as either "none" or "low" was "crisps (multipack)" at 29%, followed by "paracetamol" at 17%.

UK flight data
The average number of UK daily flights in the latest week was at 64% and 190% of the level seen in the equivalent week of 2019 and 2020, respectively. From 1 September 2021 to 14 November 2021, the seven-day average has decreased by 8%, whereas in 2019's equivalent period, the seven-day average decreased by 23%.

From 1 March 2020 to 1 May 2020, the average daily flights compared with the level seen on the equivalent day of 2019 of Spain, the UK, France, and Germany fell by 95, 90, 89 and 82 percentage points, respectively. Since November 2020, compared with Germany, Spain and France, the UK has continually had the lowest average daily flights relative to the level seen on the equivalent day of 2019 (currently 64%).

Read the full report at - https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/bulletins/economicactivityandsocialchangeintheukrealtimeindicators/18november2021