YEAR-on-year growth in UK retail sales volumes has slowed for a third straight month in February, a survey reveals, underlining the pressures on households and the high street.

Subtracting the proportion reporting a fall from that posting an increase, only a net eight per cent of retailers achieved a year-on-year rise in sales volumes in February. In January, a net 12 per cent had posted a year-on-year rise in sales.