BRITAIN suffered its biggest non-pandemic fall in retail sales since the 2008 financial crash last month amid “deeply worrying” signs of worse to come, the TUC warned today.

The union federation raised concerns over the shock 3.2 per cent fall in December, with previous analysis showing unsecured debt — such as from credit cards, loans, hire purchase agreements — is set to rise by £1,400 per household, in real terms, this year. 

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “This huge slump in retail sales is deeply worrying. People need to be able to spend on their local high streets.