Total retail sales increased 0.4% during the five weeks to February 1. This is above the three-month and 12-month average declines of 0.4% and 0.2% respectively.

However, the sales increase is below the 2.2% increase in January 2019 and the 12-month average hit a new record low since records began in 1995.

UK retail sales were flat on a like-for-like basis during the period when compared with the previous year when they increased 1.8%.

Food sales fell 0.1% on a like-for-like basis but increased 0.6% on a total basis during the three months to January.