UK retail sales fall like-for-like 0.7 pct yy-BRC

LONDON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - British retail sales fell in

January to record the worst performance for that month in 15

years, a survey by the British Retail Consortium showed on

Tuesday.

The BRC said the value of sales last month was 0.7 percent

lower than a year ago when measured on a like-for-like basis.

That followed a 4.2 percent annual gain in December.

Total sales, which include new floorspace, rose by 1.2

percent on the year in January.

'An awful start to the year and in stark contrast to an

upbeat December. This is the worst January sales growth in the

15 years we have been running the survey,' said Stephen

Robertson, director general of the BRC.

He said the snow at the start of the month had boosted food

sales but hit other sectors. Food sales growth slowed in the

second half of the month, however, and clothing and footwear

sales picked up.

Some consumers may also have brought forward their purchases

to December to beat VAT going back up to 17.5 percent on Jan 1

after the cut to 15 percent over 2009.

Keywords: BRITAIN BRC

(Reporting by Sumeet Desai; editing by Patrick Graham; Reuters messaging: sumeet.desai.reuters.com@reuters.net; +4420 7542 7708)

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