UK retail sales fell 0.4% in September 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics, after rising 0.7% in August and falling 0.4% in July, as warm weather hit autumn and winter clothing as well as mail-order and supermarket sales. Non-food volumes dropped 0.4% on the month, though sales in the three months to September still rose 0.7%. McKinsey’s Hai-Ly Nguyen said the decline adds pressure before the golden quarter, while Deloitte’s Oliver Vernon-Harcourt pointed to consumers tightening spending amid rising inflation, fuel and energy prices and falling confidence. PwC UK’s Jacqueline Windsor noted fashion sales fell 1.7%, spending on petrol was over 30% higher than a year earlier, and the value of retail sales was up 3.4% on the year. Windsor added that rising inflation could leave shoppers with less money in the run-up to Christmas, making the peak-season outlook uncertain.
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▼ Likely negativeRelevance: low
| Market | Currencies |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/22/2026 | 1.34003 |
| Change that session | +0.04% |
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