UK retail sales bounce back in August
By Michele Maatouk
Date: Friday 18 Sep 2026
(Sharecast News) - UK retail sales unexpectedly bounced back in August, helped along by the warm weather, according to figures released on Friday by the Office for National Statistics.
Sales rose 0.5% on the month following a 0.5% decline in July, beating expectations for a 0.2% fall.
On the year, sales were 2.4% higher in August.
In the three months to August, sales were up 0.9%, the ONS said, with warm weather lifting sales of items such as fans and air conditioning units, and retailers also benefitting from sales of sports merchandise and clothing.
ONS senior statistician Jon Gough said: "Retail sales increased in the latest three months, with a particularly strong June for online outlets helping to boost their sales across the period. Food store sales also rose, with supermarkets doing well in July and August.
"Meanwhile, retailers selling alcohol and beverages performed well across all three months, which they attributed to promotions, the hot weather and the World Cup."
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