Consumer confidence weak but rate cuts offer some reprieve August 22, 2025 The Bank of England’s fleet of interest rate cuts have helped lift consumer confidence in personal finance, a leading survey has suggested, but the prospect of high inflation has left sentiment vulnerable. Bank officials are closely monitoring the effects of looser monetary policy on consumption and confidence levels across the UK. GfK’s flagship consumer confidence survey [...]
UK online SMEs confident despite economic headwinds August 21, 2025 A wave of online small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs are showing confidence in their future, despite wider economic pressures, a new report from eBay UK suggests. The study found that nearly four in five, or 78 per cent, of online small businesses expect to see growth over the next 12 months, with a third [...]
‘Alarming’ drop in UK consumer confidence over last year August 16, 2025 Consumer confidence in the future UK economy has plummeted over the last year, figures suggest. Confidence has tumbled by 31 points over the last year, from an average of minus nine between May and July 2024 to an average of minus 40 between May and July this year, Which?’s Consumer Insight Tracker shows. On average [...]
Retail profit warnings more than double as high street pressures mount July 21, 2025 Profit alerts among retailers more than doubled in the second quarter as consumers reined in their spending and firms faced soaring wage costs, according to a report. The latest report from EY-Parthenon also revealed that overall profit warnings among UK-listed firms jumped by a fifth year-on-year in the second quarter – with a record proportion [...]
Cake Box: ‘We do very well when there’s trouble on the high street’ July 15, 2025 Cake Box has managed to find success on the high street at a tough time for in-store retail, consistently outperforming peers in day-to-day goods. Its recipe for success is simple, according to its chief executive Sukh Chamdal: small celebrations – birthday cakes which start at £20 – are one of the last non-essential things stretched [...]
Exclusive: Amazon Prime Day UK sales top £2bn despite consumer caution July 14, 2025 Amazon’s biggest UK shopping event on record has delivered a much needed adrenaline shot to Britain’s faltering retail sector – with online spending during its four-day Prime event topping £2bn for the first time. Consumers splashed out £2.08bn online between the 8th and the 11th July, driven by steep discounts on everything from baby toys [...]
H&M to shed light on turnaround amid consumer confidence slump June 21, 2025 H&M investors will be hoping the high street fashion chain shows it is on the road to recovery next week despite caution among many shoppers. The retailer is expected to report a slight rise in sales for the latest quarter in an update on Thursday June 26 as it continues with its turnaround strategy. It [...]
Young Brits drive consumer confidence up while high-income households cut back June 19, 2025 A confidence boost amongst Gen Z Brits drove an improvement in consumer confidence in June while wealthier households held back, according to new data. Overall confidence about the state of the UK’s economy improved to -38 in June, up from -36 in May, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Brits’ confidence about their personal [...]
Sales of London mansions falter amid low confidence and non-dom exodus June 19, 2025 The average price of London mansions fell further in May as buyers stayed away from the market amid a downturn in confidence. Average prices fell by 3.2 per cent year on year, according to data from Lonres, while transactions fell 35.8 per cent year on year. Transactions for homes over £5m fell 14.7 per cent [...]
Retail footfall dips in May despite higher consumer confidence June 13, 2025 Retail footfall dropped in May amid a wider slowdown in consumer spending despite higher consumer confidence, according to new data. Total UK footfall fell by 1.7 per cent in May year on year, down from a 7.2 per cent rise in April, according to new figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Footfall at shopping centres and on [...]