Retail sales in the UK in July fell 1.9 percent on a like-for-like basis, and rose by 2.0 percent on a total basis, compared with a year ago.
The three-month trend rate of growth rose in July to -1.7 percent from -2.4 percent in June for like-for-like sales, and to 2.3 percent from 1.1 percent for total sales.
July was much worse than June, hit by cooler wetter weather. Some good clothing sales on the few warmer days failed to offset difficult trade elsewhere.