Retail Sales Fall Despite Hot Weather; Public Borrowing Rise Adds Pressure to Chancellor Healey – Business Live The recent decline in retail sales might seem counterintuitive given the hot weather and World Cup fever that swept through Britain this summer.
However, it's a symptom of deeper issues plaguing the UK economy: stagnant consumer confidence and rising public borrowing. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), retail sales volume fell by 0.
5% in July, following a 1% increase in June.