Food sales fell by 1.8% in September, continuing a downward trend since summer last year, according to the latest retail sales figures from the Office For National Statistics.
Meanwhile, total retail sales volumes fell 1.4% month-on-month, far worse than the 0.5% decline that economists had forecast.
Retail sales declined by 6.9% year-on-year in September, the data shows.
The ONS said: “While retailers continue to mention the effect of rising prices and the cost of living on sales volumes, data for September 2022 are also affected by the bank holiday for the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, when many retailers closed.”
