UK shop sales plunge again last month; paints gloomy picture for industry

UK retail sales plunged in May, reinforcing a gloomy picture for the industry that’s seen a number of high-profile businesses run into trouble.

Industry figures show total sales fell 2.7% from a year earlier, the biggest drop since at least 1995 when excluding Easter distortions. While some of that relates to strong figures a year earlier, when sales were boosted by sunshine, a royal wedding and the buildup to the football World Cup, political and economic uncertainty also played a big role, the British Retail Consortium said.