UK Retail Sales Disappoint in Sign of Lackluster Recovery

  • Shoppers bought less in supermarkets and department stores
  • High prices forcing people to pay more for fewer goods
Shoppers pass through a shopping centre in Edinburgh, UK, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. UK companies expect to raise their own prices by the least in almost 2 1/2 years, a further sign that an unwinding of inflationary pressures is gathering momentum.Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
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UK retail sales stalled unexpectedly in March after price-conscious shoppers scaled back spending on food and at department stores.

The volume of goods sold in stores and online was unchanged in March after a revised 0.1% gain the month before, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday. Economists had expected an 0.3% increase.