LONDON (Reuters) -British retail sales fell last month by much more than expected, with a broad-based decline across all of the main retail sectors contributing to the biggest decline in volumes since December 2021, official data showed on Friday.
Retail sales volumes plunged by 1.6% in monthly terms in August, the Office for National Statistics said – worse than all forecasts in a Reuters poll of economists that had pointed to a 0.5% fall.
“All main sectors – food stores, non-food stores, non-store retailing and fuel – fell over the month,” the ONS said.
“This last happened in July 2021, when all legal restrictions on hospitality were lifted.”
(Reporting by Andy Bruce; editing by William James)
