Consumer confidence fell for the second month in a row as shoppers felt the cost of rising energy bills.

The GfK consumer confidence index showed confidence fell to -12 from -11 in October

The survey showed consumers are more pessimistic about their own finances and feeling the effects of wages growing slower than inflation.

The climate for big ticket purchases fell two points to -13 month-on-month but was still 13 points higher than last year.

GfK managing director of social research Nick Moon said: “A drop of one point in the Index is not significant, but what is more important is that, as it follows another one point drop last month, it does now appear that the seemingly inexorable rise of the previous six months has come to a halt.

“At -12, the Index is 17 points ahead of where it was in December, which is a very substantial improvement, but the Index looks set to say in negative territory for a while yet. What will be interesting over the next few months is the potential conflict between continuing good news about the economy, and consumers not feeling personally any better off.”