LONDON - BRITISH retail sales fell in February, when snowy weather and the end of the January sales kept shoppers away from stores, a survey by the British Retail Consortium showed on Tuesday.

The BRC said the value of like-for-like retail sales fell 1.8 per cent last month compared with a year ago, reversing January's 1.1 per cent rise.

'The short burst of spending unleashed by January clearances has largely vanished, replaced by sales as weak as most of last year,' said BRC Director General Stephen Robertson.

Heavy snowfall at the start of last month brought large swathes of Britain to a standstill in early February and the BRC said sales suffered as a result. Sales of women's and men's clothing was particularly hard hit, recording its worst month since April 2008. Food sales were boosted by the freezing weather, however, as consumers stocked up their larders. Total sales, which include new floor space were 0.1 per cent higher on the year, after January's 3.2 per cent rise. - REUTERS