The high street took a hit last month as clothes shops suffered from unseasonably warm weather and surging pump prices.
Official figures showed retail sales volumes down 0.4 per cent in September, worse than the 0.1 per cent analysts had expected.
Businesses reported that the lingering summer had squeezed demand for autumn and winter clothing ranges.
Drivers also had to devote more spending to filling up, with diesel costs spiralling amid the Middle East crisis. The quantity of fuel bought rose 2.2 per cent, returning to levels before the start of the Iran war.
Despite the grim monthly news, volumes were up 0.7 per
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