World Cup helps shop sales

Data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed that UK retail sales rose by 0.8 per cent on a comparable basis last month in a return to growth after pre-election uncertainty.

Warmer weather boosted DIY and clothing sales in May, while the upcoming World Cup finals drove growth in televisions, with non-food, non-store sales in particular benefiting – up 21.9 per cent, the best performance since December.

Stephen Robertson, director general of the BRC, said: "The sunnier second half of May provided a welcome boost to overall sales."