Great Britain’s retail volumes up 3% YoY, signalling resilient demand
Retail sales volumes in the Great Britain region rose by 0.7 per cent in the three months to February 2026 compared with the previous three-month period ending November 2025, according to the latest estimates by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, volumes were up 3 per cent, indicating steady underlying demand despite short-term fluctuations.
However, on a monthly basis, sales volumes fell by 0.4 per cent in February, following a strong 2 per cent rise in January and a 0.1 per cent increase in December. Analysts attributed the February dip partly to consumers advancing purchases to January to benefit from discounting, particularly across non-store retail channels, ONS said in a press release.
Retail sales volumes in Great Britain rose 0.7 per cent in the three months to February 2026 and were up 3 per cent YoY, signalling steady demand.
However, volumes fell 0.4 per cent in February after strong January growth.
Online sales remained strong, while clothing declined over three months.
The dip was linked to earlier discount-led spending and weaker supermarket sales.
Online retail values increased both monthly and over the three-month period, underscoring the continued strength of digital channels. In contrast, textile, clothing, and footwear stores posted a modest 0.6 per cent monthly increase but declined by 2 per cent over the three months.
Non-store retailers, largely driven by online platforms, were a key contributor to the three-month growth, with strong sales in categories such as sportswear during December and January. Non-food stores also recorded a 0.5 per cent rise over the three-month period, supported by higher sales in other non-food segments, including commercial art galleries.
Despite this, February saw a broad-based monthly slowdown. Supermarket sales volumes declined after January’s gains, while household goods stores reported weaker demand due to above-average rainfall during the month, as noted by the UK Met Office.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
