Clothing and footwear sales rebound in March, ONS data reveals

New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show a modest recovery in UK retail sales in March 2026, with clothing and textile categories returning to growth following a weaker start to the year.

Sales volumes for textile, clothing and footwear stores rose 1.2 percent month on month in March, contrasting a 1 percent decline in February. Over the three months to March, the category recorded a more modest 0.2 percent increase, exhibiting a gradual but uneven recovery in demand.

More broadly, total retail sales volumes rose 0.7 percent in March, contributing to a 1.6 percent increase in Q1 compared with the previous quarter. Non-food stores, which include fashion, saw volumes rise 0.7 percent on the month, supported in part by improved weather conditions and seasonal demand.

Retailers attributed the uplift in clothing sales to the transition into spring, with warmer weather encouraging shoppers to refresh their wardrobes. This trend was also reflected online, where textile, clothing and footwear sales values rose 2.5 percent between February and March and 1.5 percent over the quarter.

According to Shopify, seasonal demand played a key role in shaping March’s performance. Deann Evans, managing director EMEA, said: “Retailers will be encouraged to see a return to growth in March sales, following a small decline in February. This rebound suggests that while consumer confidence remains under scrutiny, spending has not stalled in tandem.”

Evans added that the shift into spring drove increased demand for seasonal fashion items, with sales of cargo shorts, denim shorts and crop tops all rising significantly month on month.

Despite the improvement, sentiment across the sector remains cautious, as noted by Treyd’s Justin Parr: “Despite the rise in sales in the data, there’s not a lot of confidence across the sector at the moment”, adding that many retailers are still dealing with excess stock and pressure on cashflow.

He pointed out that some businesses had relied on discounting earlier in the year to clear inventory, while others now face limited capacity for new seasonal products.

Accenture’s Alice Cowley also warned that March’s performance should be viewed with caution, stating: “The 0.7 percent rise in retail sales in March will give some encouragement. However, the early timing of Easter is likely to have inflated March’s figures, potentially masking a more fragile economic backdrop.”