Retail suffered a washout last month as the end of the Euro 2020 tournament combined with wet weather were blamed for a sharp fall in sales.
Experts also pointed to the likely impact of rising COVID-19 case numbers prompting people to self-isolate as well as the global chip shortages holding back computer and phone supply.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said retail sales volumes in July were 2.5% down from the previous month taking them to the lowest level since shops reopened in April after the lockdown.
Euro 2020 had provided a boost to sales in June
It was the biggest monthly decline in retail sales since January this year and, outside pandemic lockdowns, the largest since 2010.
The performance fell well short of economists’ expectations for a small rise in sales – and came after food store sales were boosted in June by the Euros.
Grocery retailers were also not helped by the further easing of pandemic restrictions, which opened up more places…
