Demand for summer clothing and picnic food during the hot weather helped sales at retailers rebound last month, according to new figures. The BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor for July showed that total sales increased by 2.3% during the month, bringing to an end three consecutive months of decline. Nevertheless, industry experts said growth was still driven by inflation, with the price of products significantly higher than the same period last year. Figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed that inflation hit a new 40-year high of 9.4% in June. "Sales improved in July as the heatwave boosted sales of hot ... (full story)