Britain's high streets have suffered their worst month on record as they were hit by the coronavirus lockdown, according to new figures.
The latest monthly sales tracker BDO saw a total dive of 17.9 per cent in March as shoppers began to stay at home.
In-store sales were particularly badly hit, plunging 34.1 per cent after all non-essential stores were told to shut their doors amid the pandemic.
Footfall also reduced sharply due to social distancing measures and shoppers turning their attention to essential items such as groceries.
Fashion stores saw sales dive 40.4 per cent over the month, while lifestyle shops reported a 24.6 per cent decline.
Elsewhere, homeware store sales declined by 26.1 per cent after customers vanished at the end of the month.
Shoppers turned their attentions online, with non-store like-for-like sales increasing by 13.7 per cent.
However, this online growth was not consistent for all retailers, with fashion shops also reporting lower online demand.
Sophie Michael, head of retail and wholesale at BDO, said: "It's no surprise that March was the worst month on record for the high street, as the Covid-19 outbreak had an immediate impact on consumer demand for discretionary items.
"Understandably, shoppers are being very cautious with their pounds, as concerns about job security grip the nation.
"For most retailers, in-store sales make up the largest portion of their revenue, so they are having to rely solely on non-store channels and adapt aggressively to survive.
"It is likely that the pandemic has only sped up the shift away from in-store shopping as consumers become even more accustomed to buying online."
A Government spokesman said: "We know this is an extremely tough time for Britain's retailers which is why we have announced a package of measures to support them.
"This includes grants of up to £25,000, a 12-month business rates holiday and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms, including retailers, continue to keep people in employment."
