Retailers suffered their weakest monthly growth of the year in September, according to the latest retail sale monitor from the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

Retail sales were up 0.7% on a like for like basis from September 2012.

Growth was driven by electrical and leisure goods while grocery sales were hit hard with a decline in like for like sales.

Internet sales of non-food items grew 13.4% in September compared to the year before.

Helen Dickinson, BRC director general, said: “The BRC-KPMG data shows that while total retail sales have continued to grow this month, it has been the weakest growth so far this year if you exclude Easter distortions.

“Grocery sales have been particularly hard-hit.”