IAN McCONNELL

YEAR-on-year growth in UK retail sales value slowed sharply in July, underlining pressure on consumers, industry figures reveal.

The British Retail Consortium’s figures, published today, show the value of sales in July was up just 1.6 per cent on the same month of 2017. This represents a sharp slowdown from year-on-year growth in sales value of 2.3% in June.

Food sales were strong in July. But the figures highlight the underlying weakness of non-food sales, the more discretionary element of consumer spending.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Sales of non-food products struggled – three months into an extended period of summer weather, demand for many seasonal purchases has slowed while the heat has kept shoppers away from...browsing.”