UK retail sales unexpectedly rise in December as online shopping and consumer confidence boost economy
British retail sales volumes rose by 0.4 percent in December 2025. This surprise growth surpassed analyst expectations and ended a period of monthly declines.
Insights:
Retail sales volumes in the United Kingdom 
GBrose by 0.4 percent month-on-month in December 2025, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics. This unexpected growth followed consecutive monthly declines in October and November 2025 and represents the first monthly increase in sales since September.
GBrose by 0.4 percent month-on-month in December 2025, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics. This unexpected growth followed consecutive monthly declines in October and November 2025 and represents the first monthly increase in sales since September.The performance significantly outperformed market expectations, as economists polled by Reuters had anticipated a 0.1 percent decline for the period. The Office for National Statistics noted that strong online shopping played a primary role in the recovery, while consumer confidence showed signs of stabilization during the final month of the year.
