UK retail sales growth in November 2025 indicated a notable slowdown, marking the weakest performance in six months. The British Retail Consortium (BRC)-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor attributes this dip to a less-than-enthusiastic demand for winter clothing, particularly driven by mild weather during the first half the month.
In November, total retail sales in the UK increased by 1.4% year-on-year, compared to a decline of 3.3% a year earlier. Yet, this increase was below the average annual growth rate of 2.5%.
During the four weeks from November 2 to November 29, sales in non-food categories, which include clothing and accessories, saw only a modest rise of 0.1% year-on-year. While this reflects an improvement from the steep 7.9% fall in November 2024, it still remains under the 12-month average growth of 1.6%.
The contribution of clothing to total sales dropped by 0.2 percentage points, and footwear saw a decrease of 0.1 percentage points as well.
Breaking down the non-food sales figures, physical store sales experienced a decline of 0.3%, while online sales in this category rose by 0.5%. Both metrics fell short of their 12-month averages of 1% and 2.5%, respectively.
The online penetration rate for non-food sales climbed to 44% in November, up from 43.8% in November 2024, significantly surpassing the 12-month average of 37.3%.
BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson remarked: “Pre-Budget jitters among shoppers meant the month of Black Friday did not deliver as strongly as retailers had hoped or the economy needed. Not unexpectedly, online dominated, with the proportion of non-food bought online reaching its highest level since 2022. Many consumers took advantage of promotions, with homeware and upholstery selling well ahead of festive hosting. Fashion lagged, especially with the mild first half of November dampening demand for winterwear.”
She further noted, “Retailers continue to invest in Christmas offerings, building up stock levels, and promoting festive products. It has been a difficult year as retailers grappled with ever-rising cost pressures. Looking ahead to 2026, it is time public policy started prioritising measures to revive consumer confidence and keep costs of doing business down so retailers can focus on growth strategies to maximise their contribution to economic recovery.”
The ongoing challenges in UK retail sales growth highlight the need for adaptive strategies as the industry prepares for the holiday shopping season.