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UK retail sales drop by most in nearly a year as drivers buy less fuel
Motor fuel sales fell 10.2% as higher pump prices and weaker clothing demand pushed monthly retail volumes down 1.3%, the ONS said.
- The ONS reported total retail sales volume fell 1.3% in April, marking the sharpest decline since May 2025 and exceeding economists' forecasts of a 0.6% drop.
- Motor fuel sales plummeted 10.2% in April, the largest fall since November 2020, as the Iran War pushed petrol to 158.52p per litre, causing motorists to delay filling up.
- Retail sales excluding autofuel declined 0.4% in April, while clothing stores recorded a 2.4% decrease as retailers cited 'variable weather conditions during the month.'
- On Thursday, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves announced a support package including VAT cuts on British summer attractions, aiming to lift sentiment amid global unrest.
- Pantheon chief UK economist Rob Wood noted consumers are tightening purse strings amid uncertainty triggered by the conflict, while analysts suggest GDP growth slowed to 0.1% in the second quarter.
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Sky News UKReposted by 
One News Page
One News PageFuel sales collapse as Iran war costs knock savings
A growing number of UK households are dipping into savings as rising costs linked to the US-Iran war pile pressure on family budgets, according to a closely-watched survey as official figures chart a collapse in fuel sales.
·United Kingdom
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Total News Sources22
Leaning Left4Leaning Right2Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution40% Left, 40% Center
Bias Distribution
- 40% of the sources lean Left, 40% of the sources are Center
40% Center
L 40%
C 40%
R 20%
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