On a total basis, retail sales fell 1.3% in the month to June 29, against an increase of 2.3% the previous year, while like-for-like sales decreased 1.6% year-on-year, down from a 1.1% uplift the previous year, according the BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor.

This weak comparable performance dragged the sector’s three-month average to a decline of 0.1%, while the 12-month average increase was stifled to 0.6%, the lowest since records began in December 1995.

Non-food sales fell 2.1% overall and were down 2% on a like-for-like basis, exacerbated by 4.3% and 4.1% slumps in overall in-store non-food sales and like-for-like sales respectively.

This marked the worst quarterly decline in non-food sales since February 2009 and was below the average 12-month decrease of 0.8%.