Retail sales, Great Britain: June 2026

The quantity of goods bought (volume) in retail sales is estimated to have risen by 0.6% in Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2026 compared with Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2026. Non-store retailers' sales volumes rose, which was reported to be caused by a combination of warm weather and sales promotions over May and June 2026. Non-food stores' sales volumes grew in Quarter 2, with increasing sales in both computer and telecoms retailers, and department stores.

Retail sales volumes are estimated to have risen by 1.0% in June 2026. This followed a rise of 1.2% in May 2026 (unrevised from our previous bulletin), and a fall of 0.7% in April 2026 (revised up from a 1.0% fall in our previous bulletin). Retailers suggested that sales promotions and the warm weather increased sales volumes for non-store and clothing retailers.

Sales volumes rose by 0.6% in Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2026 compared with Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2026, an increase of 2.8% compared with the three months to June 2025.

In June 2026, sales volumes rose by:

• 1.0% over the month, following a rise of 1.2% in May 2026

• 4.2% compared with June 2025

• 0.9% compared with the pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic level in February 2020

These data are available in our Retail Sales Index dataset.

Sales volumes rose by 0.6% in Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2026 compared with Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2026. Non-store retailers' sales volumes rose strongly in May and June 2026. Retailers reported that sales promotions and the warm weather boosted sales of outdoor products and items such as fans. Increased sales of clothing and sports merchandise also benefitted the June figures for non-store retailers.

Non-food stores (the total of department, clothing, household, and other non-food stores) sales rose by 1.2%. Within household goods stores, furniture stores sales rose across all three months of Quarter 2. Within other non-food stores, computer and telecoms retailers' sales rose, which retailers attributed to continued strong demand for products following releases back in March 2026. Department stores also had increased performance because of a strong May 2026 sales period, which was boosted by sales of items such as fans and paddling pools.

Fuel sales fell sharply in Quarter 2 compared with Quarter 1, following a rise in sales volumes in March 2026. Many retailers reported that the rise in sales volumes in March 2026 was because motorists had stocked up on fuel as a result of the conflict in the Middle East. This was followed by a steep fall in fuel sales in April 2026, as retailers suggested that motorists made fewer journeys and delayed filling their tanks as prices rose. Fuel sales volumes remained low in Quarter 2, and failed to return to February 2026 levels.

Sales volumes rose by 1.0% over the month to June 2026. Non-store retailers' sales rose, which retailers reported was the result of both sales promotions and demand for items such as sports merchandise, clothing, outdoor products, and fans and air conditioning. Clothing stores sales rose by 1.9%, their largest monthly rise since September 2025. Retailers reported again that this was the result of a boost from sales promotions and the warm weather. Within other non-food stores, art galleries performed well in June 2026, and there were broader comments from retailers that the weather boosted sales of warm weather goods.

The Met Office Weather and Climate summaries reported that the second warmest June on record was in 2026.

The amount spent online, known as "online spending values", rose by 3.8% in Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2026 compared with Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2026. Online spending values rose by 11.7% on Quarter 2 2025.

Within the monthly series, online sales values rose by 2.8% over the month to June 2026, an increase of 14.4% compared with June 2025.

The total spend (the sum of in-store and online sales) rose by 0.8% over the month. As a result, the proportion of online sales rose from 28.9% in May 2026 to 29.4% in June 2026, the highest proportion since April 2021.

The Retail Sales Index (RSI) survey response rates in June 2026 were 57.9% based on returned forms, which is 2.8 percentage points below the average of the past 12 months. This accounted for 88.7% of total turnover coverage of the sample population, 2.0 percentage points above the average of the past 12 months. Historical response information is available in our Retail sales quality tables dataset.

Information on how we calculated the data, including strengths and limitations, and a glossary of relevant terms, is available in our Retail Sales Index quality and methodology information report.

Seasonal adjustment

Seasonally adjusted estimates are derived by estimating and removing calendar effects (for example, Easter moving between March and April), and seasonal effects (for example, increased spending in December because of Christmas) from the non-seasonally adjusted estimates.

We use the X-13ARIMA-SEATS approach to seasonal adjustment. Seasonal adjustment parameters are monitored closely and are regularly reviewed. Improvements following our full annual seasonal adjustment review have been implemented as part of this release. More information is available in our Seasonal adjustment methodology.

Seasonal adjustment is applied at the industry level, and the seasonally adjusted series are aggregated to create estimates by industry sector and total retail. As part of our quality assurance approach, residual seasonality checks are completed regularly by our time series analysis team on both the seasonally adjusted series and the indirectly derived aggregate time series.

Based on current data, we find no residual seasonality in the main aggregate for monthly retail sales estimates. We have separately published our comprehensive methodology on How the Office for National Statistics (ONS) assesses statistical outputs for residual seasonality.

Accredited official statistics

These accredited official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in March 2015. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled "accredited official statistics".