Overview
- BRC-KPMG data for June 2026 show total UK retail sales rose 1.9% year on year, driven by online non-food sales which climbed 5.1% while in-store non-food sales fell 1.1%.
- Barclays merchant data recorded heavy matchday spikes for hospitality with pub transactions up 389.9% on June 27 and combined payments for the England–Mexico period up 201.5% year on year.
- The headline June gain masks a slowdown from May, when BRC reported retail growth of about 3.7%, indicating weaker underlying momentum despite weather and World Cup boosts.
- The CBI and Energy UK say roughly 40% of firms are cutting investment because of high business energy costs, noting UK electricity prices sit about 45% above the G7 median and urging removal of several levies to cut bills by up to 20%.
- Travel spending has stabilised after April–May falls linked to the Iran conflict, but analysts warn that rising food and travel prices or continued high energy bills could quickly erode household spending and business investment.