UK high street sales dropped in June after a brief May shopping rise.
Data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show a 0.4 per cent annual drop in like-for-like sales in June.
Total sales – not factoring out the effect of new stores – rose 2.1 per cent.
Over the last three months like-for-like sales fell 0.03 per cent.
The BRC explained changeable weather – after May's sunny days – hit June sales but "underlying trade remained tough, with widespread discounting".
Food and drink was the only sector to see growth – compared with a poor showing in June 2007 – and clothing and footware dropped back after May's sun-fuelled shopping bonanza.
Helen Dickinson, head of retail at accounts KPMG, said: “Although total retail sales grew by 2.1 per cent in June, they continue to be impacted both by food inflation and the wider economic climate.
"Consumers are managing their budgets carefully to mitigate the effects of these inflationary pressures and the food retailers continue to focus on keeping consumer prices down through high-profile promotional activity, despite the increase in oil and commodity prices."
Digg 
Delicious 
Reddit 
StumbleUpon 
Google 
Technorati 
Netvouz