Retail sales across Great Britain weakened last month, with the volume of goods sold in stores and online falling 0.5% in July, the Office for National Statistics reported. This decline occurred despite the men's football World Cup and record temperatures boosting demand for food and drink.
The July figure is down from a 0.7% rise in June, which was revised from an initial estimate of 1%, and a 1.3% rise in May. Non-food stores experienced the largest drop, falling 1.3%, attributed to a decrease in clothes shopping after retailers brought forward sales into June, and more people staying home during July's heatwaves.
Demand for furniture also decreased, as fewer households looked to change decor during the extreme heat. Department stores were affected by a drop in available stock, with some retailers having warned of longer delivery times during recent heatwaves.
Food and drink sales were a positive exception, with hot weather and World Cup excitement boosting demand. However, gains could have been higher as pubs and sports bars, classified under hospitality, attracted punters to watch matches.