London - British retail giant Marks & Spencer reported Thursday a steep fall in sales over the summer months in a further sign of the economic downturn, figures showed.

M&S said comparative sales in Britain fell by 6.1 per cent in the 13 weeks to the end of September which represented the worst quarterly performance since the beginning of 2005.

"Consumer confidence remains fragile and the retail environment unpredictable. Consumers are increasingly cautious about their budgets," said executive chairman Stuart Rose. (dpa)