Retail sales plunged twice as much as expected in July as wet weather dampened demand and drove consumers away from the high street.

Sale volumes fell by 1.2pc after a 0.6pc improvement in June as bad weather kept shoppers at home, the Office for National Statistics said, piling fresh concerns on struggling retailers. 

Food store volumes dropped by 2.6pc, with supermarkets reporting grocery and clothing sales had fallen, suggesting the cost of living crisis has forced Brits to cut back on essential goods.  

The weak figures come despite a recent recovery in shares of high street brands such as Marks and Spencer so far this year. 

The fall in grocery sales follow official figures on Wednesday that revealed a fresh surge in food price inflation, up 14.9pc. 

Earlier this month, struggling discount retail Wilko plunged into administration, threatening the future of hundreds of stores.

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