Snow blamed for fall in UK retail sales

January’s heavy snowfall saw British retailers suffer a surprise fall in sales, after many small grocers were forced to shut up shop during the freezing weather.

The British Office for National Statistics said retail sales volumes fell 0.6% between December and January, driven by the biggest month-on -month fall in food volumes since May 2011.

Small shops, such as convenience stores and high street butchers and bakers, were hit the hardest, with sales falling 14.9% year-on-year, but online shopping services are thought to have helped the large supermarket chains record a rise of 0.3%.