Warm weather lifts UK retail sales in July but shoppers shun big purchases

Rise in clothing and beauty marks recovery from washout June, says British Retail Consortium

The late arrival of warm summer weather drove a recovery in retail sales last month, industry data shows, despite continuing signs of consumers holding back on big ticket purchases amid the cost of living crisis.

Figures from the British Retail Consortium showed that UK total retail sales increased by 0.5% year on year in July, a recovery from the washout month of June when colder weather deterred shoppers from spending on the high street.