United Kingdom Cbi Distributive Trades

Last Release

Mar 31, 2025

Actual

-41

Units In

Net Balance

-23

Frequency

Monthly

Next Release

Apr 25, 2025

Time to Release

29 Days 9 Hours

Highest	Lowest	Average	Date Range	Source
72 Jul 1984	-55 Dec 2008	15.44 Net Balance	1983-2025	Confederation of British Industry

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Distributive Trades Survey (DTS) measures the health of the retail sector. The reading is compiled from a survey of about 150 retail and wholesale companies. It includes measures of sales activity across the distributive trades. It is a leading indicator of consumer spending. The figure is the difference between the percentage of retailers reporting an increase in sales and those reporting a decrease.

Latest Updates

The Confederation of British Industry's retail sales gauge for the United Kingdom dropped by 18 points to -41.0 in March 2025, the lowest level since April 2024 and significantly below market expectations of -28.0. This marked the sector's sixth consecutive month of decline, with retailers and wholesalers citing global trade tensions and the Autumn Budget as key factors dampening consumer and business confidence, leading to weaker demand. Meanwhile, online retail sales volumes declined at a similar pace to the previous month (-27.0 vs. -28.0 in February), and sales for the time of year were considered below seasonal norms in March, mirroring the trend seen in February (-36.0 vs. -34.0).