Retail gross sales volumes (by amount purchased) are estimated to have fallen by 2.7% in Might 2025, following an increase of 1.3% in April 2025. This was the biggest fall on the month since December 2023.
Gross sales volumes fell by 1.3% over the 12 months to Might 2025.
Non-food shops gross sales volumes – the entire of division, clothes, family and different non-food shops – fell 1.4% over the month, primarily due to declines in clothes and family items shops reminiscent of {hardware}, paints and glass retailers.
The quantity spent on-line, often known as “on-line spending values”, fell by 1% over the month to Might 2025 and a pair of.5% when evaluating Might 2025 with Might 2024.
Whole spend – the sum of in-store and on-line gross sales – fell by 2.4% over the month. Because of this, the proportion of gross sales made on-line rose from 26.8% in April 2025 to 27.2% in Might 2025.
ONS senior statistician Hannah Finselbach stated: “Retail gross sales fell sharply in Might with their largest month-to-month fall because the finish of 2023.
“This was primarily attributable to a dismal month for meals retailers, particularly supermarkets, following sturdy gross sales in April. Suggestions urged lowered purchases for alcohol and tobacco with prospects selecting to make cutbacks.
“The falls had been constant throughout all sectors with clothes and family items shops reporting sluggish buying and selling attributable to lowered footfall. There was additionally decreased demand for DIY gadgets as shoppers took benefit of the great climate over the last few months.
“Trying on the wider image, retail gross sales are nonetheless up throughout the newest three-months as an entire.”
Kris Hamer, director of perception on the British Retail Consortium (BRC) stated: “Might gross sales noticed the weakest progress in 2025 as many shoppers maintain again on spending on retail, and decide to make use of their spare money on experiences and summer time holidays.
Some non-food classes reminiscent of style and footwear had a very poor month, and sweetness gross sales additionally continued to return down after a persistently sturdy interval of progress final 12 months. In the meantime, some electricals offered properly, notably gaming which was largely because of the very sturdy pre-sales of the brand new Nintendo.”
“This weak shopper demand comes at a very unhealthy time as retailers are having to grapple with billions of kilos of additional prices this 12 months following the Chancellor’s Price range final October.
“The way forward for enterprise charges reforms continues to be unclear, however it’s critical that it doesn’t end in any store paying extra. In any other case many retailers might be compelled to close down shops, which is able to impression jobs and native communities, and finally the UK’s financial progress.”
