UK retail sales tumble as inflation jump hits demand

LONDON: British retail sales dropped in March by much more than expected as the surge in inflation hurt consumer demand, according to data published on Friday that sent a fresh warning sign for the economic outlook.

Retail sales volumes slid by 1.4% in March from February, a worse reading than any economist forecast in a Reuters poll that had pointed to a 0.3% monthly drop, the Office for National Statistics said.