Retail sales rebounded in August as the high street inched towards recovery following a gloomy start to the summer.  

Sales volumes edged up 0.4pc last month, a sharp reversal after a fall of 1.1pc in July, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). 

High Street sales slumped during an unusually damp July, putting further pressure on retailers. Supermarket sales have come under pressure as the cost-of-living crisis forces consumers to cut back. 

However, improved weather in August led to a boost last month as food store sales rose 1.2pc, compared to a 2.6pc drop in July, while non-food store sales increased by 0.6pc.  

The percentage of retail sales taking place online also fell from 27.4pc in July to 26.9pc in August.  As for motorists, the ONS said they bought 1.2pc less fuel last month due to a spike in prices.

Separately, a study of consumer confidence from GfK showed a slight uptick in consumer confidence, although the measure remains well into negative territory.

Joe Staton, client strategy director at GfK, said confidence rose to -21, its best showing since January 2022, backed up by wage growth and falling inflation.

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