Retail sales dip again

Retail sales have declined for the second consecutive month, new figures have revealed.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported that like-for-like sales slipped by 1.5 per cent in April compared with a year ago. This follows a 1.6 per cent fall in March.

The statistics put consumer spending at its weakest since the spring of 2005.

Taken on a quarterly basis, like-for-like sales declined by 0.6 per cent in the three months from February to April.

Stephen Robertson, the director general of the BRC, said: "With the economic fundamentals remaining weak, there seems no reason for these tough trading conditions to improve soon."

Mr Robertson added: "With higher fuel and utility bills eating away at people�s spare cash, they are concentrating on essentials like food, and despite heavy discounting, clothing and footwear are at their weakest for at least eight years and more expensive housing-related goods continue to struggle."