UK is back in recession as economy shrinks by 0.2%

The UK economy has returned to recession, official figures have shown.

The economy shrank by 0.2% in the first three months of 2012, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

It follows a contraction of 0.3% in the last three months of 2011.

A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction.

Joe Grice, ONS chief economist told a news conference, "That aggregate figure is a result of differing experience in varying sectors".

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