Rainfall washes out retail sales in March

UK retail sales fell 0.9% between February and March, with shops blaming wet weather for fewer shoppers.

Non-food retailers in particular said the rains hurt sales, with department stores and clothing stores reporting a drop in volumes.

It was the sixth wettest March since 1836, according to the Met Office.

Retail sales came in worse than expected, following a sales increase in the previous month.