Latest ONS retail sales data
Charts of the Week: Retail sales, Next costs and consumer confidence
Three charts give us an idea of what to expect over the next few months as the impacts of the Iran war truly begin to take hold
The Office for National Statistics produces a wide range of economic, social and population data, including a monthly update on retail sales in the UK.
Three charts give us an idea of what to expect over the next few months as the impacts of the Iran war truly begin to take hold
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Retail sales volumes fell slightly last month, but remained up in the three months to February, as shoppers pulled back on post-January spending, official data shows.
Retail sales grew way ahead of consensus expectations in January, but the online sales trends were also eye-catching
Retail sales rebounded during the first month of 2026, with the biggest monthly rise recorded since May 2024.
Last year delivered the first meaningful sales volume growth in years, but retail is hankering after the growth rates it had back in 2016. The ONS numbers also showed a surprising boom in “books, newspapers and periodicals” sales
Retail sales volumes rose in December despite a quarterly decline.
Month-on-month retail sales volumes edged down in November but were up year on year, official data showed.
There is a lot of uncertainty around Cyber Weekend this year, with the autumn Budget, consumer behaviour changing and how consumers access products, too. To unpick those trends, here is our bumper edition of Chart of the Week
Retail sales crept up in September as back-to-school shopping and a seasonal change drove spending and volume growth.
Retail sales volumes are estimated to have crept up in August, as fashion and online-only retailers benefited from good weather.
The Office for National Statistics has admitted to errors in how retail sales were presented for the first half of the year. We dig into what happened and what it means
Retail sales volumes were sluggish at the beginning of summer, with shoppers buying less food and drink and fewer household goods, but momentum returned in July.
When stacked against comparable countries in Europe based on sales volumes change since 2021, the UK lags most of them. Germany, France and Spain have all performed better since then
UK retail sales are estimated to have risen 1.2% in April, marking the fourth straight month of growth and reaching their highest level since July 2021.
May saw a drop in retail sales volumes across the UK, making it the largest fall in nearly 18 months, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Retail sales climbed last month, according to official data.
Clothing and outdoor retailers cited good weather as the reason for a rise in sales volumes, which rose by 0.4% versus the previous month. Analysts had been expecting a 0.4% fall.
UK retail sales inched up in February, marking the second consecutive month of growth, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The release of the ONS’ retail sales on Friday was the latest in a surprisingly positive flurry of economic indicators in what is supposed to be the saddest month of the year
Retail sales volumes crept up in January 2025, a change in direction following four consecutive months of falling.
The story many were telling about the performance of the retail sector over Christmas got a bit complicated last week as the ONS released figures suggesting sales volumes were down month-on-month