British retail sales unexpectedly rose in May, boosted by an extra bank holiday to mark the coronation of King Charles but also suggesting most consumers were coping with high inflation's squeeze on their spending power.
British consumers picked up the pace of their spending last month and sales volumes over the three months to April grew by the most since mid-2021, according to official data that suggested limited impact from the surge in inflation.
Cash-strapped British households cut back on eating out and takeaways last month and instead bought food at supermarkets and shopped at discount stores, giving an unexpected boost to retail sales, official data showed on Friday.