Rain-sodden weather conditions caused a plunge in year-on-year retail sales this June, with the BRC Retail Sales Monitor showing a 0.5% like-for-like decline, reversing the 0.4% rise seen in May.
The print is substantially below the 0.2% increase previously anticipated.
Sales of weather-sensitive categories such as clothing and footwear, as well as DIY and gardening were hit particularly hard.
“Forgive us for talking about the weather again but it continues to sap consumers’ desire to buy clothes,” said Rob Wood, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.
He added: “Accordingly, the BRC measure of retail sales was dragged down in June by non-food sales dropping 2.9% three-month year-over-year, compared to a 2.4% fall in May.
“Food sales growth also slumped to 1.1% three-month year over year as people declined to fire up the BBQs.”