United Kingdom retail sales accelerated sharply at the start of 2026, with month-over-month growth rising to 1.8% in January from 0.4% in December 2025, according to data updated on 20 February 2026.
The latest figure marks a notable strengthening in consumer activity, as the "actual" January reading reflects a much faster pace of sales growth compared with the previous month. In December 2025, retail sales had already recorded a positive but modest 0.4% month-over-month gain versus November, but January’s performance suggests a more robust pickup in spending.
Measured on a month-over-month basis, the improvement indicates that UK consumers increased their purchases significantly more in January than they did in December, hinting at rising confidence or shifting spending patterns as 2026 gets under way.
