date:May 24, 2013
But heres a lingering squeeze on household pay from inflation. So this pick-up is unlikely to be sustained.
The drop in food sales may have been partly due to the rising prices, the statistics office said. It added that poor weather hindered sales of summer ranges, including barbecue equipment and garden furniture. From a year earlier, total retail sales rose by 0.5 per cent.
Recovery Risks
Excluding fuel, retail sales fell by 1.4 per cent in April from March and were up by 0.2 per cent f