Low consumer confidence hits sales growth Retail sales growth rose by 3.1% in March, significantly down on the 6.7% rise seen in February. The BRC data showed that like-for-like retail sales were down 0.4% against March 2021. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: "As consumer confidence continued to sink, March saw sales slow, and while spend remained above last year this likely reflects higher prices." Ms Dickinson added: "Ultimately, consumers face an enormous challenge this year, and this is likely to be reflected in retail spend in the future." Elsewhere, Barclaycard's latest credit card data showed that consumer spending was still significantly ahead of pre-pandemic levels as people spent more on hospitality, but still highlighted some pressure on consumer confidence.