Retail sales rose by a better-than-expected 1.6% in April as consumers resumed spending after unseasonably cold weather earlier in the year. However, the Office for National Statistics said the sector remained broadly subdued, and analysts said the underlying trend was "lacklustre". In the three months to April, sales rose just 0.1% on the previous quarter. April's figure was boosted by a 4.7% surge in petrol sales, after falling in March because of the snow disruption. "Retail sales bounced back in April, as petrol and other sales recovered from the snowfall. But the underlying position remains subdued with the volume of goods sold over the last six months broadly unchanged," said Rob Kent-Smith of the ONS. "Department stores declined following relatively strong sales last month, when their online sales were boosted during the adverse weather.