MNI BRIEF: UK Retail Sales See Strong Feb Jump

UK retail sales volumes rose sharply in February 2025, up 1.0% m/m and building on a strong but downwardly revised 1.4% jump in January, the Office for National Statistics said Friday.

Non-food store sales volumes grew strongl, with rises across all four sub-sectors (department, other non-food, clothing, and household goods stores), although supermarket sales volumes fell back following a strong rise in January 2025. Year-on-year, sales rose 2.2% in Feb. (see MNI INTERVIEW: Consumer Boost Lead For UK Growth- ONS Fitzner )

More broadly, sales volumes rose by 0.3% in the three months to Feb, compared with the three months to Nov, and by 2.0% when compared with the three months to February 2024.

“Looking at the wider trend, retail sales are now showing growth across both the three-month and annual period, but remain below pre-pandemic levels,” ONS senior statistician Hannah Finselbach said.