People who think the BoE will raise rates so soon will need to have their heads examined. I sometimes wonder who these analysts are and how can I get their job to make as much money as them! For a start the LIBOR rates are high anyway and they have become so divorced from the base rates

Max, Manchester, UK

I simply don't believe these massaged figures (aka lies). I speak to retailer friends and they say things are very bad and other friends who are basically 'skint' due to all we know about already. Our so called stats. have never been reliable and prone to political whims. Who checks these people?

Victor M., Cricklewood, London,

with ever increasing prices of food / fuel is it any wonder taht sales are rising - the real question is what is happening to sales volumes . people will always borrow for the basics if they are unable to pay from oincome.

Jeff Harvey, bristol,

I'm not afraid of a rise in interest rates.

Alex, Salisbury, UK

This is consumers who are in debt, having a last hurrah. They are in debt so they think sod it, I am going to buy something to make me happy. This phenomenen normally happens about six months before their home is repossessed.

This is not a sign of inflation, it is a precursor to a recession.

james mclean, edinburgh, scotland

Even when corrected for weather differences, the data shows that inflation is the primary economic threat. Prices are rising faster than the credit crunch is hitting spending power. And prices are rising on non-discretionary items, i.e. food. Don't need to be Sherlock Holmes to work that one out.

Michael, London,

Is this shopping spree like the Chinese, described in another article, queuing for petrol before it goes up? Are people really buying things before their price goes up? If so, how will higher interest rates help?

Bill Peter, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

My daughter who lives and works in London suggests that the growth in High street sales reflects the fact that Europeans are taking advantage of the exchange rate and are the ones doing the buying

Liz Brown, Montmartin en Graignes,

stay calm .....we're not in euro 08, think how much money would have been spent in the pub , or trips to austria, or shirts/flags etc etc

so it's spent in the shops instead

can anyone ,anywhere put 2 and 2 together these days ?

guy, amsterdam, holland

Im happy to take the pain of a economic slowdown etc because if it hurts the public then i know its hurting Gordon Brown far more.....

shane, blackburn, england

The prospect of rate rises will only be a 'blow' to borrowers with variable rate tracker mortgages. Borrowers on a fixed rate will not be affected. Genuine homeowners will welcome a rate rise to get better returns on their savings.

Paul, Coventry,

Retail sales will continue to rise due to inflation.If they start to fall,then the economy is in very serious trouble.I think the so-called experts are using the CPI.Real inflation,the price that most people pay for essentials must be well into double figures.

stephen hulton, eure, france

what are the supposed experts talking about, being amazed at the increse in retail spending? Haven't they been shopping one wonders? Can someone please tell them that the prices in the shops have all gone up! I buy basically food, fuel and mortgage. These are all essentials, they have all gone up so consequently I have spent more. It dosent take a bl**dy genius does it? So for God's sake, please don't put something else up too mr King!!

philip cash, sleaford, england