UK retail sales grew by 6.9 percent from the same month last year according to the Office for National Statistics, their strongest monthly growth for nearly two years.

A 2.3 percent growth in food and drink sales linked to the Rugby World Cup boosted the figures, which also included back-to-school buying from the August bank holiday.

Sales volumes grew 1.9 percent on the month, higher than economists predicted. According to the ONS, retail sales are likely to boost Q3 GDP by 0.1 percent.

The figures were also helped by falling prices, with inflation for retail prices down by 3.6 percent on the year, one of the biggest falls since 1988.