British retail sales fall more than expected as April showers deter shoppers

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British retail sales fell much more than expected in April as wet weather discouraged shoppers from the high street, with fewer purchases in clothing and furniture stores.

The quantity of goods bought in Great Britain fell 2.3 per cent between March and April following a mild contraction in the previous month, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a 0.4 per cent drop, with many citing the impact of wet weather.

The ONS figures come as separate data published on Friday by research company GfK showed UK consumer confidence rose to its highest level in more than two years in May.