Consumer spending has reached record lows as UK shoppers continue to tighten their belts, separate studies have revealed.

Figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), KPMG and Barclaycard suggest consumers are cutting down on non-food and retail spending.

According to the BRC and KPMG study, online sales of non-food products in the UK grew by only 4.3 per cent in May compared to a 13.7 per cent rise in May last year.

This is the lowest growth since December 2012.

The same study found that over the three months to May, online sales of non-food products in the UK grew by seven per cent year-on-year, the lowest since the BRC series started in December 2012.

Retail figures from the BRC and KPMG suggest that total sales rose by only 0.2 per cent last month, against a growth of 1.4 per cent in May 2016.

This is the lowest since January, excluding Easter distortions, and below the three-month and 12-month averages of 1.9 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: "Overall, May's sales slowdown is indicative of a longer term trend of a decline in consumer spending power.

"As household budgets become increasingly squeezed by inflation, predominantly in the non-retail part of the consumer basket, it's vital that the next Government helps retailers keep prices low for ordinary shoppers."

Data from Barclaycard suggests that consumer spending growth fell to 2.8 per cent year on year in May, the lowest for 10 months.

It revealed lower levels of growth across everyday essentials (3.1 per cent) when compared with the Easter-driven increase of 11.4 per cent in April.

Shoppers spent less on groceries and fuel in particular, easing supermarket (1.5 per cent) and petrol growth (7.4 per cent), down from 10.3 per cent and 14.7 per cent the previous month.

However, entertainment spending remained resilient, up 12 per cent, driven by double-digit growth in cinemas (11.5 per cent) and restaurants (11.7 per cent).

Barclaycard managing director Paul Lockstone said: "Consumer spending growth was subdued last month as shoppers paused for breath after an Easter bounce in April.

"With CPI running at its highest rate since 2013, it's no surprise that more of us are starting to 'feel the squeeze' of inflation and slower wage growth, perhaps prompting small changes to our spending patterns.

"It's far too early, however, to suggest that this is the beginning of a period of increased caution.

"In May we witnessed the resilience of the 'experience economy' and all signs indicate spending on leisure time will continue to be a priority.

"As we head into summer, it will be interesting to see how the spending picture might change after consumers reassess their household budgets."

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