by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Bad weather dampened clothing and shoe sales last month - although overall retail turnover edged up.

According to a British Retail Consortium/KPMG survey, UK retail sales values were up 1.9% on a like-for-like basis from March 2012, while total sales were up 3.7%. Online sales rose 6.6% compared to March 2012.

Helen Dickinson, BRC director general, said: "This is a positive result, which rounds off a first quarter of cautious optimism for many retailers. Easter fell in March this year but April in 2012, which helps this year’s figures, especially for items which tend to sell well over the long weekend like food and homewares."

She added: "Snow and the prolonged cold were not ideal but not a disaster. They brought mixed fortunes for different categories. Food was boosted by a continued appetite for hearty meals and wintry fare such as roasts and chocolate. But demand was cool for new season clothing and footwear lines, resulting in a decline for both categories."

David McCorquodale, KPMG head of retail, said: "Clothing and footwear retailers had a dismal month as the cold weather froze sales, leaving Summer skirts and sandals on the shelves. This year-on-year fall is made worse by the strong sales seen last March when a veritable heatwave drove sales of spring stock. Clothing and footwear retailers will be desperate for a change in weather in April."