The UK retail sales have fallen by a record 5.1% MoM in March, marking their biggest decline since 1996, the country’s National Statistics Office said on Friday. Until the end of March, only supermarkets, pharmacies, and stores remained open after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the country under a blockade against the spread of the coronavirus. The Retail Sales Survey covered the period from March 1st to April 4th.

Clothing stores have seen a 35% drop in sales. This was the weakest indicator among non-food stores, where sales fell by more than 19%. Automotive fuel sales declined by almost 19%.

The only positive news for the industry was food sales, which rose by a record 10.4% after stockpiling earlier this month. Alcohol shops reported a 31.4% increase in sales, the largest increase since the beginning of statistics in 1988.

Online commerce posted an 8% growth on a monthly basis. The ratio of online sales to total retail reached a record high of 22.3%.

Retail sales declined 1.6% in the first quarter, the biggest drop since 2010. On a year-on-year basis, retail trade recorded a record decline of 5.8% in March.

A separate report released on Friday showed that consumer confidence in the UK has been the lowest for more than a decade. GfK said consumer sentiment was at minus 34 points in April, close to the levels observed during the 2008 financial crisis.