Key facts
- The BRC said food sales rose 3.2% in October while non-food sales were flat.
- Barclays said essential spending rose 3.1%, with fuel spending up 22.7%.
- Barclays said non-essential spending rose 1.9% in October.
- Barclays' consumer confidence gauge showed the least optimism about the UK economy since April.
British retail spending grew 1.5% in annual terms in October, the British Retail Consortium said in a survey published on November 10, above September's 1.3% growth and the strongest rise since June.
The BRC's measure of food sales rose 3.2% while non-food sales were flat. BRC CEO Helen Dickinson said cupboard staples rose modestly after the British government advised households to stock up for emergencies.
A separate Barclays survey, based on consumer card spending data across a wider range of goods and services, showed a 2.3% annual increase in October, up from September's 2.0% rise and the strongest growth since July 2025. Barclays' measure of essential spending rose 3.1%, driven by a 22.7% increase in fuel spending, while non-essential spending was up 1.9%. Entertainment had its strongest month since September 2024 after tickets went on sale for the Glastonbury music festival.
Barclays' gauge of consumer confidence showed the least optimism about the UK economy since April. Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer, retail and leisure at accountants KPMG, which sponsors the BRC survey, said: "With consumers facing higher household costs, caution ahead of the Budget, and some waiting for Black Friday deals, overall sales growth was modest."
The BRC survey covered the four weeks to October 31. The Barclays spending data covered card spending between September 25 and October 10, while its consumer confidence data was based on polling between October 23 and October 27.