Freezing start hits April sales

Retail sales slumped at the fastest rate for a year in April as the timing of Easter and a freezing start to the month offset improving fashion and beauty sales.

Like-for-like sales fell 2.2% in April from a year earlier, with the early Easter hitting food sales in particular, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

But the BRC said that masked a "respectable" month as spring sunshine midway through April boosted sales of sandals, skirts, shorts and skin care products.

On a rolling three-month basis, which smooths out the timing of Easter, underlying sales between February and April were up 0.9% on a year earlier.

BRC director general Helen Dickinson said: "On the surface these are really poor figures, but they're hiding another respectable month.

"The fact that the boost from Easter didn't fall in April this year hit food sales in particular. But, taking away the Easter distortion, this was actually a better month than March, especially for non-food sales.

"Essentially, so far this year, sales growth is a small and tentative step up on where it was in 2012, but when it will take the next step is not clear."

The last time monthly sales fell at a faster pace was in April 2012, when they slid 3.3% during a rain-soaked month.

Retail sales grew an "encouraging" 1.9% in March, but food sales slumped in April as shoppers cut back after indulging at Easter, making it the second-worst performing category.

The BRC said the weather "blew hot and cold" for footwear, with women's slippers the most popular seller. But while the prolonged deep freeze held back fashion sales at the start of the month, the arrival of warmer weather gave a long-awaited boost to clothing retailers' spring sales.