Sunny spring drives biggest jump in retail spending in Great Britain in four years

Sales volumes up 1.2% in April, well ahead of forecasts, as people flock to food and drink outlets

Sunny spring weather sent shoppers flocking to supermarkets and specialists such as butchers, bakers and alcohol outlets last month, fuelling the strongest quarterly increase in retail sales in Great Britain in almost four years.

Retail sales volumes rose by 1.2% in April, well ahead of City economists' forecasts of an increase of between 0.2% and 0.4%, marking the fourth straight month of sales growth.