(Reuters) – British retailers reported a sharp drop in sales volumes during the year to January and they expect no improvement next month, an industry survey showed on Friday which added to a run of glum news on the economy.
The Confederation of British Industry’s monthly gauge of retail sales fell in January to -24 from -15 in December, the lowest reading since August last year.
The survey’s gauge of expected sales for the month ahead fell to -26 from -11 in last month’s survey.
A separate survey from GfK published earlier on Friday showed a big drop in consumer confidence this month.
“Retailers cited weak demand and downbeat sentiment as continuing strains on business conditions,” said Martin Sartoius, principal economist at the CBI.
“The combination of a faster fall in retail sales volumes and firm declines in wholesale and motor trades resulted in the total distribution sector seeing the sharpest annual sales drop in a year.”
(Reporting by Andy Bruce; Editing by William Schomberg)
