UK retail sales including fuel dropped 1.2 percent in May, much worse than the 0.8 percent decline expected, the Office for National Statistics reported. This followed a 2.5 percent climb in April, mainly due to the Easter.
In annual terms, retail sales volume growth dipped to 0.9% - the lower growth on the year since April 2013.
The significant factors in slowing growth in May were high inflation and weak wage growth, that increased retail prices.