Rain hits retail sales in Great Britain as shoppers reduce spending

April's wet weather leads to steeper fall than forecast, with clothing and toy stores among most affected

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A month of unrelenting rain in many parts of the country resulted in British shoppers spending much less than expected in April, with fewer treating themselves to clothes and big-ticket items.

The Office for National Statistics blamed the wet weather for the 2.3% drop in the amount of goods bought compared with March, which was much steeper than the 0.4% decline forecast by analysts.