UK retail sales growth slows as shoppers await Black Friday and budget

Industry body says shoppers are waiting for discount day, as Barclays reports falling consumer confidence

Retailers suffered the slowest sales growth since May last month as shoppers were cautious in the run-up to expected budget tax rises and held out for Black Friday discounts.

Sales rose 1.6% in October, a step down from 2.3% the month before, according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) trade body and the advisory group KPMG.