British retail sales fell last month, with food hit as people returned to bars and restaurants on easing lockdown curbs, official data showed on Friday.

Sales by volume declined 1.4 per cent in May from April, snapping three months of gains, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement.

Retailers had enjoyed a 9.2-per cent bounce in April as the UK economy began to crank back into action.

“The largest contribution to the monthly decline in May 2021 came from food stores where sales volumes fell by 5.7 per cent,” the ONS noted.

“Anecdotal evidence suggests the easing of hospitality restrictions had had an impact on sales as people returned to eating and drinking at locations such as restaurants and bars.”

Anecdotal evidence suggests the easing of hospitality restrictions had had an impact on sales as people returned to eating and drinking at locations such as restaurants and bars- UK Office for National Statistics

Overall sales in April and May were however 9.1 per cent higher than pre-pandemic level in February 2020.

In April, the UK reopened non-essential retail, including restaurants and bars, allowing the wider British economy to recover further from pandemic fallout.