UK consumers cut spending amid wider economic nerves Economics UK consumers’ debit and credit card spending slumped in 2025 for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic as wider economic nerves knocked confidence. Card spending fell 0.2 per cent in the last 12 months, according to Barclays, a sharp contrast to the 1.6 per cent growth recorded in 2024. Just a quarter of British [...]
Retail confidence falls at its fastest rate since 2008 Retail Confidence amongst retailers has dropped at its fastest rate in 17 years as firms become increasingly pessimistic about their fortunes amid high taxes and low spending. Retailers expect demand to remain subdued heading into December, with sales set to fall again – albeit at a somewhat slower pace, according to the CBI’s latest quarterly Distributive [...]
Co-op to open or refurbish dozens of stores amid cyber attack recovery Retail The Co-op has said it is pushing forward with a number of new stores and major refurbishments as it bounces back from a damaging cyber attack. The retailer said 50 stores will be opened or re-opened by Christmas as it urged the Government to reform business rates ahead of the autumn Budget. It said reforms [...]
JD Gyms eyes UK expansion after putting millions into refurbs October 27, 2025 JD Gyms is set to open its 100th gym in the UK as the chain muscles in on the 24-hour fitness sector and sets its sights on further expansion. The Wigan-based chain, which is part of the global retail group JD Sports Fashion, will mark the milestone with the launch in Enfield, north London, in [...]
Next expected to reveal sales momentum despite consumer pressure October 26, 2025 Next is expected to report further growth for the past quarter as the high street chain continues to shrug off the squeeze on consumer finances. Shares in the company lifted on Friday to a new record high as investors continue to buy into the group. The company has been a consistent bright spot across the [...]
Oasis fans’ supersonic spending tops Swifties in economic boom September 26, 2025 Oasis fans have topped the economic boost of Taylor Swift, with spending reaching over £5m at their first Wembley concert this year. The ‘Gallaghernomics’, as dubbed by Lloyds in their Market Intelligence analysis, have surpassed ‘Swiftonomics’ by 38 percent. The Oasis concert on 25 July 2025 generated £5.1m revenue in Wembley and within a one-mile [...]
Discounts push retail footfall to first January rise in nearly a decade February 6, 2025 Retail footfall rose year on year in January for the first time since 2016, although the boost was likely due to Brits delaying festive spending in favour of discounted goods in the new year sales. Footfall rose by 1.4 per cent in January 2025 compared to 2024 in all UK retail destinations, according to data [...]
Consumer confidence in the economy dips following Budget November 28, 2024 The British Retail Consortium's (BRC) sentiment monitor showed that consumers' confidence in the economy fell back to -19 in November, down two points from October.
‘Turbulent few months’ ahead for retailers as low consumer confidence lingers September 26, 2024 One of the UK’s largest retail bodies has warned that retailers could suffer in the next few months during the run-up to Christmas, due to a lack of consumer confidence in the economy. Confidence slumped in September, with an increasing number of Brits saying they expected the UK economy to get worse over the next [...]
Consumer confidence sinks as Brits ‘nervously await’ Budget September 20, 2024 Key future indicators of consumer confidence all sharply fell in September as Brits nervously awaited policy announcements in the Autumn Budget, according to fresh data. GfK’s long-running consumer confidence index fell sharply to -20 in September overall, with all measures – including personal finances, economy and purchase intentions – down month-on-month. “Headline consumer confidence has… [...]