LONDON, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Britain's retail sales lacked momentum in October, as consumers faced household cost pressure, cautioned ahead of the Autumn Budget and restrained for upcoming festive promotions, data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed Tuesday.
The country's total retail sales increased by 1.5 percent year-on-year in October, lower than the 1.6-percent growth recorded in October 2025, according to the BRC.
Food sales rose by 3.2 percent year-on-year, against a growth of 3.5 percent in October 2025, but was above the 12-month average growth of 3 percent.
Non-Food sales remained flat year-on-year, against a growth of 0.1 percent in October 2025. Specifically, in-store non-food sales decreased by 1.1 percent, against a growth of 0.1 percent one year ago, while online non-food sales increased by 1.8 percent, compared with flat sales in October 2025, the data showed.
"October was subdued for retailers, as shoppers delayed spending ahead of Black Friday and Christmas," Helen Dickinson, chief executive at the BRC said, adding that dreary weather made online sales fare better, while cupboard staples saw a modest boost following the government's advice for households to stock for emergencies.
"Clothing and footwear purchases grew in October, along with cosy essentials like duvets, as temperatures lowered and storms finally blew in the start of autumn and winter season for retailers," said Linda Ellett, UK head of Consumer, Retail & Leisure of KPMG.
Sales growth will be welcomed by a retail sector that "desperately needs to offset cost increases with some strong sales" as the promotional and festive season gets into full swing, she added.
However, shopper confidence has been fluctuating around zero for some time, and that volatility looks set to continue, according to Sarah Bradbury, chief executive officer at the Institute of Grocery Distribution.
"The prospect of higher energy costs, inflation and interest rates creates a challenging backdrop for 2027. Food and grocery promotions should help keep shoppers spending during the festive period, but we expect January to be a difficult month for many households," she noted. ■
