Retail sales are forecast to rise by 1.0% in February 2025, following a 1.4% increase in January 2025, which was revised to 1.7% in the previous report. Non-food store sales saw significant growth in February 2025, with all four sectors increasing: department stores, other non-food stores, clothing stores, and homeware stores. In contrast, department store sales declined after strong growth in January 2025.
More broadly, department store sales rose by 0.3% in the three months to February 2025 compared to the same period last year, and by 2.0% compared to the three months to February 2024.
Retail Sales in February 2025 in Great Britain
In February 2025, retail sales in Great Britain saw a significant increase compared to the previous month, rising by 1.0% after recording a 1.4% increase in January 2025. Despite this increase, February’s growth was slightly lower than the previous month’s, reflecting stable retail performance during that time.
Sector Performance in Retail Sales:
Non-Food Department Store Sales: Non-food department store sales saw strong growth in February 2025. The overall increase in sales in these stores was 3.1%, bringing monthly sales volume to its highest level since March 2022. This growth played a significant role in raising overall retail sales in February.
Home improvement store sales: There was a notable increase in home improvement store sales, which rose 6.8%, their highest monthly growth rate since April 2021. Hardware stores contributed significantly to this increase.
Apparel sales: Clothing store sales saw a slight increase, but this increase did not offset the decline in January 2025, when sales declined by 2.7%.
Online retail sales
Online retail sales saw a significant improvement in February 2025, with online spending increasing by 3.3% compared to the previous month. Also Online sales also increased by 3.9% compared to February 2024. However, there were declines in online spending in the three-month comparison, with a 3.1% decline compared to the three months to November 2024.
Overall Trends: Although retail sales in February 2025 were generally positive, the sector faced some challenges, such as higher prices in some categories, such as food. However, non-food sectors, such as homeware and fashion, recorded strong performance, reflecting a diversity of consumer preferences and an improvement in some aspects of spending.
Sector Sales Volumes
Non-food store sales saw a strong increase in February 2025. This growth was evident across all sub-sectors, such as department stores, non-food stores, clothing stores, and homeware stores, which recorded a 3.1% month-on-month increase. Homeware stores recorded the largest increase, rising by 6.8%, their highest level since April 2021. Supermarket sales saw a slight decline after a strong performance in January 2025. Grocery store sales also fell by 2.0% in February, after rising by 4.8% in January.
Great Britain Retail Sales Data – February 2025
Great Britain released retail sales data on March 28, 2025, providing comprehensive information on retail sales by value and volume, both seasonally adjusted and non-seasonally adjusted. This data provides an accurate overview of market trends in the UK and helps understand recent retail sector developments.
This data is an essential resource for understanding retail sales trends and developments in Great Britain, helping businesses and investors make informed decisions based on accurate data analysis.
Retail Sales Dataset
The dataset includes estimates of total sales for each retail sector in Great Britain. This includes details on sales by sector (e.g., food, non-food, clothing, and household goods), with weekly and monthly data. Food Sales: On the other hand, sales at grocery stores fell by 2.0% in February 2025 after a strong increase in January 2025, which was 4.8%. Economic factors such as rising prices played a role in these declines.
Retail Sales in British Pounds
The dataset also contains detailed information on total retail sales in the local currency (GBP). This includes information on weekly and average spending for each retail sector in Britain, showing the percentage of growth or decline in sales compared to previous periods.
Retail Sales Categories and Their Relative Weights:
This data includes a breakdown of retail sales categories and the proportion of each category in the total UK retail trade. The relative weight of each category is also shown, helping to understand its importance in the overall market. Data Quality
Regarding the response rate for the Retail Sales Index (RSI), February 2025 recorded a response rate of 65.3%, based on the adjusted models. This represents 96.3% of the total sales volume coverage of the sample population used for data collection.
Data Sources:
This data is collected using a range of statistical and specialized tools for measuring retail sales performance. These tools include information on how the data was calculated and reviewed, highlighting the strengths and limitations of data collection and analysis.
The relative weights of each retail category reflect its importance in the economy, while the high response rate enhances the reliability of the retail sales index data. Analyzing this data can help understand consumer trends and make more accurate economic decisions.
