Retail sales in Britain fall for fourth month

Retail sales fell for a fourth straight month in September on a like-for-like basis as furniture stores recorded their worst performance in at least eight years, a survey showed yesterday. The British Retail Consortium said like-for-like sales values were 1.5 per cent lower last month than in September last year. That was the sharpest fall since April and means sales have fallen on this measure for six of the past seven months.

Total sales values, which includes new floorspace, rose an annual one per cent last month. That was the weakest rate of growth since April and well below the current rate of inflation, meaning sales dropped in real terms. The BRC blamed a scarcity of credit and housing market weakness for a steep fall in sales of furniture and fitted kitchens and bathrooms. In this sector, even heavy discounting and promotions failed to tempt shoppers.

"The financial turmoil has further undermined consumer confidence," said Stephen Robertson, director general at the British Retail Consortium.