Retail sales volumes in May declined 0.5% compared to the previous month, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This decline was exacerbated by a 4.5% month-on-month decline in clothing sales during the period – the steepest fall since July 2015.

On a year-on-year basis, retail sales volumes rose 2.3% in May.

On a three-month basis, retail sales increased 1.6% with growth recorded across all sectors except for department stores, in which sales declined 0.9%, down for the eighth consecutive month.