Shoppers shrugged off rising prices and lingering Brexit worries last month to spend far more than expected.
Retail sales rose by 1% between July and August as consumers spent more despite higher prices, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Households appear to be weathering the inflation squeeze, allaying fears of a sharp, consumer-led slowdown. The forecast had been for a meagre 0.2% increase; July’s sales growth has been revised up to 0.6%.
