Retail sales in June boosted by hot weather

Retail sales rose in June as warm weather boosted fuel and supermarket sales, according to official data.

Sales volumes increased by 0.9% in the month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Supermarkets reported people buying more drinks, while fuel sales were up as consumers “ventured out and about in the sunshine”, the ONS said.

But it said sales had fallen by 2.8% in May, which was more than it had previously estimated.

After May’s fall in sales, a rebound in June had been expected, but the increase was lower than many economists had forecast.

Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics, called June’s sales increase “disappointingly small”.

The latest figures mean sales volumes are up 0.2% across the April-to-June quarter, suggesting that the economy as a whole will see lacklustre growth over the period.