Retail sales fall in Great Britain as storms and cost of living crisis hit habits

Clothing sales soared by 13% in February, with overall non-food store sales volumes up 0.6%. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images

Retail sales in Great Britain fell unexpectedly in February as consumers switched spending to eating out more after the economy reopened, while storms also deterred people from hitting the shops.

Official figures showed that sales fell by 0.3% last month after a 1.9% increase in January. Economists had forecast a 0.6% rise in February.