Great Britain retail sales volumes estimated down 0.4% in September
The Office for National Statistics said the quantity of goods bought fell over the month, after a 0.7% rise in August, while the third quarter still showed growth.
AI illustrationThe quantity of goods bought in Great Britain's shops and online is estimated to have fallen by 0.4% in September 2026, the Office for National Statistics said. The drop followed a 0.7% rise in August, a figure revised up from a 0.5% rise. July's fall was also revised, to 0.4% from 0.5%.
The monthly decline was reportedly steeper than economists had expected, with consensus forecasts reportedly pointing to a 0.1% fall.
Compared with September 2025, volumes were 0.8% higher, the statistics office said. Over the three months to September, volumes rose by 0.7% against the previous three months and by 1.5% against the same quarter a year earlier.
Supermarket volumes fell in September after growth in July and August, slipping to slightly below their June level. Non-food stores dropped by 0.4% on the month. Clothing, footwear and sports equipment stores declined, which retailers put down to lower footfall and customers cutting back. Household goods stores also fell, mainly because hardware retailers sold less.
Online clothing retailers told the office that their autumn and winter ranges sold poorly because of unseasonably warm weather. Fuel volumes went the other way, rising on the month even though fuel prices kept climbing.
For the quarter as a whole, the office said fuel sales recovered after weaker sales in the second quarter, and warm weather helped food and drink. Retailers linked higher alcohol and beverage sales to promotions, the weather and the World Cup.
Online spending values fell by 0.4% in September after a 3.0% rise in August, but were 6.8% higher than a year earlier. The share of sales made online slipped from 28.9% in August to 28.8% in September.
The figures come a week before a budget that the chancellor, John Healey, is reportedly preparing to announce.