LONDON, Oct 20 Reuters British retail sales volumes fell by a sharper than expected 0.9 in September compared with the month before, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed on Friday.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast that sales volumes would fall by 0.2 on the month.

Retailers reported that the fall over the month was because of continuing cost of living pressures, alongside the unseasonably warm weather reducing sales of autumnwear clothing, the ONS said.

Compared with a year ago, sales volumes were down 1.0, while sales in the third quarter overall which had a weak start due to unusually wet weather in July were 0.8 lower than in the quarter before.

British households have faced a costofliving squeeze over the past two years due to supplychain difficulties and labour shortages after the COVID19 pandemic, amplified by a surge in energy costs after Russia invaded Ukraine in October 2022.

While retail sales volumes surged in mid 2021 when shops fully reopened in Britain after COVID19 restrictions, purchases have steadily fallen since and for the past year sales volumes have been below prepandemic levels.

Reporting by David Milliken; editing by William James

Source Reuters