Retail sales ‘tepid’ as Middle East conflict raises consumer caution

Retail sales ‘tepid’ as Middle East conflict raises consumer caution

Total retail sales increased by 3.6% year on year in March, driven up by the early Easter boosting an increase in food sales to 6.8%.

Easter Boosts Food Sales, But Consumer Confidence Weak

The latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor shows total retail sales increased by 3.6% year-on-year in March, after the food sector benefited from family get-togethers during the Easter period. Food sales rose by 6.8%, well above the 12-month average growth of (more…) The post Easter Boosts Food Sales, But Consumer Confidence Weak appeared first on KamCity.

UK retail sales rise 3.6% in March as Easter boosts food spending

UK total retail sales increased by 3.6% year on year in March, exceeding the 1.1% growth recorded in the same month in 2025. Data indicates performance sat above the 12-month average growth of 2.6%. Food sales rose 6.8% during the period, up from 1.6% in March 2025. Non-food sales grew by 0.9% year on year, falling below the 12-month average of 1.1%. In-store non-food sales increased by 1.4%, while online non-food sales rose 0.1%. The online pen…

Easter boost lifts food sales, but cost pressures keep shoppers cautious

Food sales gave UK retail a welcome lift in March as Easter gatherings, Mother’s Day and Eid encouraged households to spend more on celebratory occasions, but wider shopper confidence remains…

Retail sales rise as Easter lifts spend, but shoppers stay cautious

UK retail sales rose in March, but the uplift was driven largely by food spending and an early Easter, with non-food demand remaining subdued. New figures from the British Retail Consortium and KPMG showed total retail sales increased 3.6 per cent year on year last month, ahead of the 12-month average of 2.6 per cent. Like-for-like sales rose 3.1 per cent, up from 0.7 per cent in February. Food was the clear driver of that growth, with sales up …

Easter gatherings give food a boost; non-food uneven

Non-food sales growth remains tepid, growing at under 1% so far this year, as consumer spending caution is heightened by the current and potential impact of the Middle East conflict. According to the latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor, UK Total retail sales increased by 3.6% year on year in March, against a growth of 1.1% in March 2025. This was above the 12-month average growth of 2.6%. Food sales increased by 6.8% year on year in March, agai…