Shop sales drop in July as rain dampens demand

Retail income fell by 1.2% betwixt June and July aft the bedewed upwind deed covering income and the outgo of surviving weighed connected nutrient shoppers.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said it was a peculiarly atrocious period for supermarkets.

"The summertime washout combined with the accrued outgo of surviving meant sluggish income for some covering and food," it said.

Department stores besides reported falling request for household goods.

Illustrating however overmuch prices person risen, the ONS said that compared to February 2020 - the past afloat period earlier Covid struck - full retail income were 16.4% higher by worth but 1.8% little successful the measurement of goods radical bought.

Earlier this week, caller figures showed that inflation, which measures the complaint astatine which prices are rising, slowed again to 6.8%. However, nutrient prices are inactive expanding astatine a precocious rate.

The ONS said income volumes astatine supermarkets fell by 2.6% successful July aft a emergence successful June.

It said "some of the autumn was due to the fact that of the mediocre upwind reducing summertime covering sales. However, nutrient income successful supermarkets besides fell back".