Economy
The latest news, updates and analysis on the economy and how it is affecting the UK retail industry. Sign up to the Daily Briefing and let Retail Sector’s business journalists keep you in the picture.
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Oct- 2025 -21 October
Retailer profit warnings nearly double in Q3
Profit warnings issued by listed retailers in Q3 have almost doubled against the prior year, according to a new report from EY-Parthenon.Over the period, listed retailers issued nine profit warnings, the highest level since Q4 2023. Over half (56%) of these warnings cited weakened consumer confidence as a driving factor.…
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14 October
Retail sales edge up 2.3% in September as food spending drives growth
UK total retail sales rose by 2.3% year on year in September, up from growth of 2% in September 2024 and above the 12-month average increase of 2.1%, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) KPMG Retail Sales Monitor. Food sales increased by 4.3% on the year, compared with 2.3%…
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10 October
Gen Z spending to top £26bn in 2025, report finds
Gen Z’s spending is set to drive over £26bn of retail spending in 2025, rising to almost £40bn over the next decade, according to research by RSM UK and Retail Economics. While this cohort’s spending power is forecast to keep climbing, it is also expected to keep prioritising saving and…
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Sep- 2025 -30 September
UK economy grows 0.3% in Q2 as services and building work lift output
UK gross domestic product grew by an unrevised 0.3% in the three months to 30 June 2025, slowing from 0.7% in the first quarter, with services and construction offsetting a fall in production, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It comes as services rose…
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25 September
AO chief warns UK economy is sliding towards recession
AO World founder and chief executive John Roberts has warned that the UK is heading into recession in a recorded interview with the BBC yesterday (24 September) as inflation and labour pressures weigh on businesses. According to Roberts, Britain is “heading into another” downturn, noting that rising costs were affecting…
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19 September
Retail sales rise as sunshine and rate cuts boost August trading
Retail sales rose in August, closing out the summer on a stronger footing, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS Retail Sales Index showed a 3% year-on-year increase in sales by value and a 1.2% rise in sales by volume, marking the third consecutive…
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19 September
UK consumer confidence falters ahead of Autumn Budget
UK consumer confidence has dropped by two points to -19 in September ahead of the Autumn Budget, according to GfK’s latest long-running index. The survey revealed that all five measures declined in comparison to last month’s announcement. The index measuring changes in personal finances during the last year was down…
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18 September
BoE holds interest rates at 4%
The Bank of England (BoE) has voted to hold interest rates steady at 4% amid concerns around the recent rise in inflation. At a meeting this week, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 7–2 to maintain the rate, as two members voted to reduce it by…
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17 September
Inflation holds steady at 3.8% but food prices on the rise
Inflation held steady last month, with a reported rise of 3.8% in the 12 months to August 2025, unchanged from July’s figures. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the August and July figures mark the joint-highest recorded since January 2024, when the rate was 4.0%. It comes as…
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16 September
Retail jobs hit record low, ONS data shows
The wholesale, retail and repair of motor vehicles sector lost over 61,000 payrolled employees since August 2024, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics. Alongside this, the median pay for this sector was £2084 per month in August 2025, below the UK median of £2568. Furthermore,…
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