ONS news and archive

UK: Sales rebound in December in much-needed boost for retailers

New figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) have shown a modest, yet much-needed increase in retail sales volumes for December 2025, a positive end to a significantly more muted year for the sector. Over the month, sales rose 0.4 percent, up from a decline of 0.1 percent in November and a steeper drop of 0.8 percent in October....

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Retail

UK retail sales edge up as fashion outperforms in a subdued Golden Quarter

UK retail sales painted a nuanced picture in November as the Office for National Statistics data showed modest resilience beneath a soft monthly headline. While total sales volumes dipped slightly over the month, fashion and non food categories continued to hold steady, reinforcing the sense of selective rather than broad based consumer spending...

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Retail

Britain’s retail recovery is running on fewer people

December trading numbers and footfall trackers may suggest that UK retail has steadied itself. But behind the apparent normality of peak season sits a more structural concern that cannot be solved with a strong weekend or a good Christmas run: the sector is operating with materially fewer people than it once did. For many retailers, staffing has...

Retail

Sales dip in October as consumers practice caution ahead of Budget

In the UK, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown a drop in sales volumes during October, with figures falling 1.1 percent on the month prior. Compared to October last year, sales volumes rose 0.2 percent. Performance was stronger over the three months to October. During this period, sales volumes rose 1.1 percent...

Retail

Retail sales see modest increase in September

New figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) have shown a slight increase in retail sales for the month of September. According to the platform, volumes are estimated to have risen by 0.5 percent, following an increase of 0.6 percent in August. In the three months to September, sales volumes rose 0.9 percent when compared to the...

Retail

UK retail sales drop in August yet clothing stores charge ahead

Retail sales across the UK fell marginally throughout August, as cost pressures weighed on consumer spending. Despite this, textile and clothing retailers welcomed stronger performance thanks to various events and the ‘back to school’ season. According to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), retail sales dropped by 0.1 percent...

Retail

Britain’s retail mood darkens as inflation bites

Consumer confidence in the UK slipped further in September, with fashion and retail sectors feeling the blunt of swelling cost pressures. According to recent BRC-Opinium data, optimism about the economy deteriorated: expectations for its state over the next three months dropped to -36, from -32 in August. Personal financial outlook also edged...

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Retail

High Street fashion under pressure amid rising costs and shrinking labour pool

Retail employment in the UK has entered a troubling downturn. According to the latest report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there were 2.73 million jobs in retail in June 2025. The four-quarter average, which smooths out seasonal hiring variations, stood at 2.78 million jobs, some 97,000 fewer than at the same point last year, and...

Retail

Retail sales marginally rise in July as sports events and warm weather boost activity

Retail sales volumes across the UK are estimated to have increased by 0.6 percent in July 2025, according to a delayed monthly report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This followed a more modest 0.3 percent increase in June. The quantity of goods bought fell 0.6 percent in the three months to July when compared to the three months...

Retail

UK: Retail sales take a hit in May as consumers cut back spending

New figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown a drop of 2.7 percent in retail sales volumes during May, representing the largest monthly fall since December 2023. The decrease comes after a more promising April, in which volumes rose 1.2 percent. Sales were also down by 2.7 percent compared with pre-Covid levels in February...

Retail

UK sheds 93,000 retail jobs in a year

Retail jobs have continued to fall over the year as the “rising tide of employment costs” hit the industry. According to the latest figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there were 2.76 million retail jobs in March 2025, 93,000 fewer than at the same point last year. When compared to 2015, this figure was 364,000 less than data...

Retail

UK: Retail sales welcome uptick in April, but clothing stores take hit

Retail sales volumes in April rose 1.2 percent, according to new data by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), driven by a late Easter and warmer spring weather throughout the month. The increase followed a more marginal uptick of 0.1 percent in the month prior, and aided in an increase of 1.8 percent for sales volumes in the three months to...