Total retail sales were flat during the four weeks to August 24 compared with an increase of 1.3% for the same period the previous year.

However, sales were above the three-month average of -0.4% but below the 12-month average of 0.4% – making it the lowest 12-month average on record.

UK retail sales decreased 0.5% on a like-for-like basis compared with August 2018 when they increased by 0.2%. This was above the three-month average of -0.7% but below the 12-month average of -0.2%.