Retail sales volumes in Great Britain fell 0.4 percent in September 2026, following a rise of 0.7 percent in August that was revised up from 0.5 percent, according to the Office for National Statistics. The fall was led by supermarket sales, which dropped back after growth in July and August, and by mail order retailers, where online clothing sellers said warm weather hurt sales of autumn and winter ranges, while automotive fuel volumes rose on the month. Across the third quarter as a whole, volumes rose 0.7 percent against the second quarter and were 1.5 percent higher than a year earlier, and the proportion of sales made online eased to 28.8 percent in September from 28.9 percent in August.
UK retail sales volumes fall 0.4 percent in September
UK retail sales volumes fell 0.4 percent in September 2026 after a revised 0.7 percent rise in August, the Office for National Statistics said, even as sales rose 0.7 percent across the third quarter as a whole.
Why it matters: The monthly fall, led by supermarkets and online clothing in unseasonably warm weather, tempers a stronger quarter and leaves consumer demand looking flat heading into the final months of the year.
Data as of Office for National Statistics bulletin 'Retail sales, Great Britain: September 2026', read in full on October 23, 2026; all figures are the ONS first estimates. Developing item.
Sources
- Retail sales, Great Britain: September 2026 - Office for National Statistics - 2026-10-23