LONDON: Retail sales in Britain tumbled and government borrowing soared in January after the country re-entered lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic, official data showed Friday. But signs that the worst could be over came in separate figures showing the UK economic slump slowed in the first half of February.

Retail sales plunged 8.2 percent last month compared with December, the sharpest fall since April 2020, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement.

"All sectors saw a monthly decline in volume sales... except for non-store retailers and food stores," the ONS added.