By Ian McConnell

Retail sales volumes in Great Britain in the three months to July were down 1.2 per cent on the February to April period, continuing the downward trend seen since last summer, official figures show.

Retail sales volumes rose by 0.3% month-on-month in July on a seasonally adjusted basis. However, volumes in the three months to July were down by 4.9% on the same period of last year.

The Office for National Statistics noted the value of retail sales in the three months to July was up by 5.5% year-on-year – “reflecting...annual...implied growth in prices of 10.4%”.

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Danni Hewson, financial analyst at stockbroker AJ Bell, said: “People can only spend a pound once and that pound isn’t buying what it used to. Whilst sales did pick up slightly in July compared to the previous month, taken as a whole the last three months has been tough for retailers. The story is writ large when you compare the same quarter a year ago.”

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She added: “Consumers are being forced to cut back, spending less on the essentials, putting off big-ticket purchases and hunting out bargains wherever they can find them. Retailers chasing sales are having to work hard and it’s no accident that non-store retailers have enjoyed growth in July, a month that’s been dominated by online sales and special offers.”