Both BRC director general Helen Dickinson and David McCorquodale, head of retail at KPMG, maintained that the overall feeling was encouraging, and that a clearer picture would emerge in April:
"These sales figures are stronger than might have been expected given the fact that Easter has fallen so late this year," said Dickinson.
McCorquodale added that "the overall picture looks encouraging" with three-month average sales growth at 2.1 per cent, just below the 12-month trend of 2.4 per cent.
"There are, however, areas of concern. Food sales fell in like-for-like value again this month and the decision by some of the major grocers to go head to head in a billion pound price war will exacerbate this situation," he said.