Retail sales fell in July compared with June as poor weather, supply chain challenges and the end of Euro 2020 led to a reduction in spending.
Retail consumer spend fell 2.3% in July compared to the previous month, according to the latest retail sales figures from the Office for National Statistics.
However, retail sales rose 5.4% for the period year-on-year. Sales volumes rose 2.4% compared to volumes recorded in July 2020 but fell 2.3% from the month prior.
Food store sales volumes fell by 1.5% in July, following an increase of 3.9% in June when sales received a welcome boost following the beginning of the Euro 2020 championship.
The ONS also reported that this sales decline coincided with an increase in social spending, such as on eating out, as restrictions eased in the middle of the month.
Non-food sales volumes also recorded declines of 4.4% in July. This figure remains 5.9% higher than the same period last year. Chemists, toy stores and sports equipment stores recorded a monthly fall of 10.1% in July, the first recorded decrease since February.
Second-hand stores, as well as computer equipment stores, were particularly affected, with the ONS citing transportation delays having an impact on the availability of items in the electronics sector.
Clothing and household sales volumes also dropped by 2%, while department stores recorded low monthly growth of 0.2%.
Fuel sales fell 2.9% in July, a decrease fuelled by heavy rainfall early in the month.
Online spending maintained a steady pace of growth, with the proportion of retail sales online rising from 27.1% in June to 27.9% in July.
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