UK retail sales slide on ‘Beast from East’ icy weather

Britain suffered freezing temperatures in late February, and to a lesser extent last month, as blasts of icy weather from Siberia engulfed Europe. (AFP)

LONDON: British retail sales slid 1.2 percent in March, as “Beast from the East” freezing weather sliced demand for car fuel but boosted online purchasing, official data showed Thursday.
“The month-on-month growth rate fell by 1.2 percent due to a large fall of 7.4 percent from petrol sales; a likely consequence of adverse weather conditions, which impacted travel,” the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement.
Analysts’ consensus forecast had been for a drop of 0.6 percent.
The ONS added that “department stores were the only sector to show positive growth in March at 0.8 percent, with feedback from retailers suggesting that online offers for Mothering Sunday and Easter boosted Internet sales more than usual during the adverse weather.”
Britain suffered freezing temperatures in late February, and to a lesser extent last month, as blasts of icy weather from Siberia engulfed Europe.