Bermuda’s shopkeepers endured yet more misery as retail sales fell by the second biggest amount this year, according to the latest statistics released by Government.

The Department of Statistics’ Retail Sales Index revealed that retail sales volume dropped by 6.7 percent in April 2009 after adjusting for the annual rate of inflation of four percent — 0.5 percent lower than the previous month, but slightly up on February’s 11 percent decline.

Consumers spent an estimated $92.3 million on goods — down 2.9 percent from the same period a year ago — while apparel stores and services stations both reported double digit declines in sales revenues exceeding 15 percent year-over-year.

For the full story see tomorrow’s edition of The Royal Gazette.