ONS figures for March to May 2026 show overall retail sales volumes edged higher compared with the previous three months, with department stores, computer retailers and online platforms outperforming, while food sales dipped slightly.
Retail sales volumes across Great Britain rose by 0.4 per cent in the three months to May 2026 compared with December 2025 to February 2026, the Office for National Statistics has reported. The figures show growth continuing into spring, though at a slower pace than in earlier months of the year.
Jon Gough, ONS senior statistician, said: “Retail sales continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace, in the most recent three months, with department stores doing especially well.” Retailers told ONS that hot weather in May drove higher sales of seasonal items such as fans and paddling pools. Computer and telecoms stores also performed well after product launches in March 2026, and online retailers benefited from promotional campaigns — with Gough noting these gains were only slightly offset by a small fall in food sales.
The 0.4 per cent three-month rise is a rolling quarterly measure ONS uses to smooth out month-to-month swings and show the underlying direction of consumer spending. Some economic commentators have argued that growth of this scale, driven largely by weather and marketing activity, may not reflect durable demand. The Bank of England and government departments use these figures as one input into assessing wider economic conditions.
Source: @ONS