UK retail sales jumped in August, aided by the warm weather and back-to-school shopping.
Total retail revenues were up 0.5% over the month, following a rise of 0.5% in July, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Clothing sales increased 1.3% month on month in August, driven by favourable weather, while non-food stores revenues, comprising department stores, household and other non-food shops, saw a 1.1% boost.
Sales for food stores climbed 0.5% over the month, with specialists including butchers and bakers recovering from poor sales in July.
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Online sales, excluding automotive fuel, nudged up 0.4% over August, according to the government department.
However, retail sales fell 0.1% in the three months to August, compared to the three months to May.
The figures come as consumer confidence slumped in September, amid fears over the state of the UK economy and the potential of higher taxes.
Expectations for the state of the overall economy dropped from -32 in August to -36 in September, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported.
Earlier this month, the BRC also reported that August rounded off a solid summer of sales, aided by sunny weather and an interest rate cut.
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