Food stores sales volumes rose by 0.2% in September, following a rise of 1.4% in August, as the warm spell prompted consumers to make the most of the good weather.
However, the data from the Office for National Statistics shows sales volumes fell by 1.3% in the three months to September 2023 when compared with the previous quarter.
When compared with their pre-pandemic February 2020 levels, food stores sales volumes were down 3.7%, the data reveals.
In addition, the ONS data shows automotive fuel sales volumes rose by 0.8% in September 2023, rebounding from a fall of 1.0% in August 2023.
Meanwhile, overall retail sales were down by 0.9%, after a 0.4% rise in August, as hotter-than-expected weather put shoppers off buying autumn clothing.
