United Kingdom BRC Retail Sales Monitor YoY

Retail sales in the UK rose by 0.9% year-on-year in February 2025, a sharp slowdown from January’s 2.5% gain and well below the expected 2.4% increase. Consumers continued to cut back on purchases amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Non-food sales saw no growth compared to February 2024, while food sales rose 2.3%, down from the 5.6% increase recorded a year ago. However, Valentine's Day-driven impulse spending provided a temporary boost for retailers despite otherwise cautious consumer behavior. Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, noted: “While sales growth across non-food categories remained subdued, online purchases—particularly in computing and electronics—helped support the sector. Jewellery, watches, and fragrances performed well thanks to Valentine’s Day, reversing last year’s declines, while furniture also returned to growth.”