Wet Weather Blamed as UK Retail Sales Fall by 0.9 Percent in March

Members of the public shelter from the rain under umbrellas on Westminster Bridge in London, on March 9, 2023. Jordan Pettitt/PA Media

UK retail sales fell in March as businesses blame poor weather for discouraging people from heading to the shops.

According to the latest data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), retail sales volumes dropped by 0.9 percent last month, with clothes shops, department stores, and garden centres all reporting declines.