The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has recently stated that retail sales in the UK have steadily increased for the second consecutive month, indicating that households are adjusting their spending habits to cope with rising prices. In a report released on Tuesday, the BRC revealed that retail sales for March and April each grew by 5.1% year-on-year. However, the squeeze on living standards caused by inflation in the double digits means that consumer spending has not expanded in the way that it used to, resulting in a decline in sales once again. This is consistent with a report from Barclays Bank, whose consumer spending index based on credit and debit card transactions showed an increase of 4.3% in April, but a growth rate that was lower than that of inflation. The CEO of the BRC highlighted that retailers are hoping for improved sales in the warmer summer months, particularly as consumer confidence stabilizes and inflation begins to ease.