Britain's retail sales drop in Q4

London [UK], January 24: Britain's retail sales volumes fell by 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025 compared with the third quarter despite a rise in December, estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed Friday.
Supermarkets and non-store retailers' sales both decreased during the period, according to the ONS.
It said the fall was partly because of a strong Q3 for supermarkets, with good weather and the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 tournament boosting volumes.
Sales of non-store retailers fell in Q4 as a result of falls in October and November.
Britain's retail sales volumes rose by 1.3 percent in 2025.
"Across 2025 as a whole, retail sales saw a second consecutive annual rise after the large falls of 2022 and 2023, but volumes still remained below their pre-pandemic level," said Hannah Finselbach, senior statistician at the ONS.
In December alone, retail sales volumes increased by 0.4 percent. Non-store retailers rebounded, with online jewelers confirming renewed demand for precious metals.
Sales for supermarkets and automotive fuel rose slightly, while sales of non-food stores declined, the data showed.
ONS figures show a fragmented market over Christmas, with larger retailers seeing sales drop while smaller independents reporting growth, said Harvir Dhillon, economist at the British Retail Consortium.
According to a recent ONS survey based on data collected from December 3, 2025 to January 4, 2026, the cost of living ranked top among all important issues facing the country, with 88 percent of respondents reporting concerns. At the same time, 71 percent are concerned about the country's economy.
Source: Xinhua