UK retail sales jump in September, beating forecasts
By Abigail Townsend
Date: Friday 24 Oct 2025
(Sharecast News) - Retail sales jumped in the last quarter, official data showed on Friday, boosted by strong demand for summer clothing and gold jewellery.
According to the Office for National Statistics, the quantity of goods bought was estimated to have risen 0.9% in the three months to September, the highest level since summer 2022.
The ONS attributed much of the growth to strong demand for summer clothing, thanks to fine weather in July and August.
However, September was also stronger-than-expected.
Sales volumes rose by 0.5% - well ahead of forecasts for a 0.2% dip - following an upwardly revised 0.6% increase in August.
Sales volumes of computer and telecommunications goods were notably higher during the month, while online jewellers reported strong demand for gold.
Year-on-year, sales rallied 1.5% in September, easily beating expectations for a 0.4% improvement.
Hannah Finselbach, senior statistician at the ONS, said of the wider quarter: "Although food stores saw very little growth, good weather in July and August boosted sales of clothing, while online retailing also did well."
Year-on-year, quarterly volumes rose 1%.
The ONS figures coincided with separate research from GfK, which showed a modest uptick in confidence and renewed appetite for big-ticket items among British consumers.
Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell, said: "Interest rate cuts and above-inflation pay increases have meant many workers have had a bit more cash to play with, even if pressures on household budgets have remained high.
"Concerns about the labour market and upcoming Budget have also been offset, to a degree, by cooler-than-expected inflation.
"For retailers, these figures should bring cautious optimism ahead of the sector's most important shopping period."
Matt Swannell, chief economic advisor to the EY Item Club, said: "The retail sales data has been exceptionally strong in recent months, but it is unclear as to whether underlying conditions are quite that robust, particularly in the non-food and non-store sectors, with sales expected to fall back in the coming months.
"The underlying trend in the retail sector this year has been one of modest improvements, and this is likely to continue over the next 18 months."
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