Retail sales 'slump' in April due to falling fuel sales

Retail sales volumes fell by 2.3% in April, largely because of a record fall in petrol sales, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Sales of fuel were down by 13.2% in April. In March, motorists had panic-bought petrol ahead of a threatened tanker driver strike.

Sales of clothing and footwear were also affected by April's record rainfall.

Kate Davies, head of the retail sales team at the Office for National Statistics, explains why sales are down.