UK retail sales fall in June despite better weather

The late-June heatwave in the UK did not counteract the earlier half of the month’s depressed consumer spending, which resulted in flat retail sales.

In June 2023, total sales increased by 4.9 per cent, but last month they decreased by 0.2 per cent, according to the most recent data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). This was less than the 1.5 per cent 12-month average growth.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson OBE said, “Retail sales performed poorly in June as the cooler weather during the first half of the month dulled consumer spending. Sales of weather-sensitive categories such as clothing and footwear were hit particularly hard, especially compared to the surge in spending during last June’s heatwave.”

KPMG UK head of consumer for retail and leisure Linda Ellett said that despite household pressures easing “consumers remain incredibly reluctant to take the brakes off of their spending”.