RTTNews reports that data released by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed that UK retailers logged the worst year on record for sales growth due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2020, total retail sales decreased 0.3 percent, the worst annual change since records began in 1995, the BRC said.

Food sales grew 5.4 percent and non-food product sales were down 5 percent from the last year.

In December, total sales advanced 1.8 percent and like-for-like sales grew 4.8 percent on a yearly basis.

Household related and food item purchases were top of Christmas shopping lists with historic growth rates in contrast to fashion, accessories and beauty products which experienced double-digit declines, Paul Martin, UK head of retail, KPMG said.