UK's monthly retail sales rebound slightly in November

By Tuba Ongun

Retail sales volumes in the UK rose 0.2% in November, recovering from a 0.7% drop in October, according to data released Friday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The rise, however, fell short of market expectations, which had forecast a 0.5% gain.

Food store sales volumes saw their first rise in three months, climbing 0.5%, with supermarkets contributing the most to the growth.

Non-food store sales volumes – including department, clothing, household, and other non-food stores – rose 0.2%. Within this category, the sub-sector of "other retail sales" surged 7.9%, while household goods stores saw a 1.1% rise, driven by strong furniture sales.

However, clothing store sales volumes fell 2.6% in November, following a 3.5% drop in October. This decline pushed clothing store sales volumes to their lowest level since January 2022, with retailers citing economic pressures as a key factor.

On an annual basis, retail sales volumes in the UK ticked up 0.5% in November, indicating a modest recovery.