Retail sales in Great Britain fall despite heatwave increasing food and drink demand

Sales in non-food stores fell 1.3% on the back of a drop in clothes shopping. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock

Retail sales across Great Britain weakened last month despite the men’s football World Cup and record temperatures boosting the demand for food and drink.

The Office for National Statistics said the volume of goods sold in stores and online fell 0.5% in July. That is down from 0.7% rise in June – revised down from initial estimates of 1% – and a 1.3% rise in May.