UK retail sales plummeted last month as coronavirus control measures limited consumer activity. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), retail sales in April fell 19.1% year on year. The decrease was the highest since the beginning of observations in 1995. In February-April, sales of non-food items in stores fell 36%. Food sales during this period increased by 6%, as consumers stocked up on essentials in connection with quarantine. Online sales of non-food items jumped nearly 60% in April. Costs at pubs and restaurants fell 97%, while sales at supermarkets grew 14%.
