According to the CBI, the volume of high street sales fell in June compared to figures from last year following on from a fall already in May. The Distributive Trades Survey showed that more than a third of retailers surveyed (34%) reported a rise in the volume of sales during the first two weeks of June, compared to the same time a year ago, while 39% reported a fall. The resulting balance of -5% was better than had been predicted (-15%), and an improvement on May’s unexpectedly weak balance of -18%.

The decline in sales was led by footwear & leather, which saw a sharp fall in sales after eleven months of solid growth, followed by hardware, china and DIY. The World Cup, on the other hand, is expected to boost sales results for July.