Retail sales in Great Britain below pre-pandemic levels as shoppers cut back

There has been growth in secondhand goods, with consumers looking for bargains amid the cost of living crisis. Photograph: Marcin Rogozinski/Alamy

Retail sales in Great Britain slumped in the three months to October as the pressure of inflation hitting a 41-year high and soaring energy prices forced households to cut budgets and rein in spending.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said retail sales fell by 2.4% in the quarter compared with the previous three months, with volumes in September and October falling below pre-pandemic levels for the first time.