Like-for-like sales in May were 1.2% lower than in May 2008, when they had risen 2.4%. Total sales in May were 2.7% up on a year ago.
May’s like-for-like decline was the worst since August 2000, but was against a relatively strong 2.4% gain in May 2008, when the weather was warmer and sunnier than this May.
Food sales growth slowed and non-food sales fell back well below their year-earlier level.