UK retail sales dip in November amid weaker Black Friday boost

UK retail sales volumes fell slightly in November, as a weaker-than-usual Black Friday failed to offset falls in supermarkets and online jewellery sales, official figures show.Retail sales volumes dropped by 0.1% in November, following a revised fall of 0.9% in October, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). That left sales 3.0% below their pre-coronavirus level in February 2020.

Despite the monthly decline, sales volumes rose by 0.6% over the three months to November compared with the previous three-month period, and were up 0.7% on the same period a year earlier. The ONS said growth over the quarter was supported by strong clothing sales earlier in the autumn, as well as demand for computers and telecommunications equipment linked to new product launches.

Supermarket sales volumes fell for a fourth consecutive month in November, with retailers citing low footfall. Non-store retailers also saw volumes decline, as online jewellers reported weaker demand after the price of precious metals stabilised.

These falls were partly offset by a 1.0% rise in non-food store sales, including gains at department stores, footwear retailers and furniture shops. Furniture retailers recorded growth for a fifth consecutive month, while automotive fuel sales recovered after falling in October.

Black Friday took place on 28 November this year and fell within the ONS’s November reporting period, unlike in 2024 when it was captured in December’s data. After adjusting for seasonal effects, sales volumes fell by 0.1% on the month, suggesting the promotional event provided less of a lift than in recent years.

By contrast, non-seasonally adjusted figures showed sales volumes rising by 11.9% in November, reflecting a typical Black Friday spike. The ONS said the adjusted figures indicated the underlying boost was weaker than usual.

Online spending continued to grow, with values rising by 0.7% on the month and by 8.3% compared with November last year. Over the three months to November, online sales values were up 6.7% year on year. The proportion of retail sales made online edged up to 28.6%, from 28.4% in October.

ONS senior statistician Hannah Finselbach said: “Retail continued to grow in the three months to November, helped by a strong performance from clothing and tech shops. This year November’s Black Friday discounts did not boost sales as much as in some recent years, meaning that once we adjust for usual seasonality, our headline figures fell a little on the month. 

“Meanwhile, our separate household survey showed that although some people said they were planning to do more shopping this Black Friday than last, almost twice as many said they were planning to do less.” 

Jacqui Baker, head of retail at RSM UK and chair of ICAEW’s Retail Group, said: “Speculation around potential tax hikes and the wettest weather seen this year dampened retail sales in November. The drop in sales compounded a bleak start to the all-important Golden Quarter, not even Black Friday deals could entice shoppers to splurge ahead of Christmas, with the biggest fall in online. 

“Consumer confidence has ticked up in December highlighting a potential budget bounce which will hopefully translate into a late surge in sales as people hit the high street in a last-minute rush. Budget jitters should have subsided now and with no major shocks, confidence should start to improve just in time to turn around fortunes in the Golden Quarter.”