Retail sales beat expectations as warm weather and discounts tempt shoppers back

British retail sales rose more strongly than expected in May as warm weather, half-term trading and retailer promotions helped bring shoppers back after a weaker April.
Sales volumes climbed 1.2 per cent in May, according to the Office for National Statistics, reversing a one per cent fall the previous month and comfortably ahead of the 0.5 per cent increase forecast by economists in a Reuters poll.
Volumes were 3.2 per cent higher than a year earlier, also beating expectations of a 1.9 per cent