Economy
-
News‘Disappointing’ December footfall takes shine off golden quarter
Total footfall during the year was down 0.8% on 2024, with the difference weighted towards the final, ‘golden’ quarter of the year
-
NewsOcado grows fastest amid shift to online Christmas ordering
Shoppers increasingly turned to delivery for the ‘big Christmas shop’ in 2025
-
NewsConsumer confidence edges up as budget blues settle
Consumer confidence has edged up by two points in GfK’s monthly barometer, as worries over November’s budget settle
-
NewsUK consumer confidence edges up but ‘remains gloomy’
Consumer confidence edged higher in December after a better-than-expected budget, according to the BRC
-
NewsNIQ predicts max-value Christmas for shoppers
NIQ has predicted almost £20bn will be spent on groceries in December, just 2.8% up on last year, as 40% of UK households plan to use saved loyalty points and vouchers to maximise savings
-
NewsInflation-linked booze duty rise a bitter mouthful for producers
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has ignored pleas for a freeze on alcohol duty, confirming it will rise with RPI to maintain its current real-terms value
-
NewsTop suppliers investing again after years of caution
Capex among the UK’s top 150 suppliers rose to 3.4% of revenue in 2024, up from 2.8% the previous year, according to a report from strategy consulting firm OC&C and The Grocer
-
NewsFood inflation up to 4.9% despite first fall in CPI since March
Food inflation edged back up to 4.9% in October, making it the largest driver of consumer price rises last month
-
NewsRetail sales volumes hit highest level since 2022
Retail sales volumes have hit their highest level since 2022, driven by strong performance from clothing and online retailers
-
NewsMajor retail sales events drive bump to consumer confidence
Major retail sales events have helped drive a bump in consumer confidence, according to October 2025’s GfK-NIM Consumer Confidence Barometer
-
NewsFood inflation falls to 4.5% in August but CPI holds firm
Food inflation fell to 4.5% in the 12 months to September 2025, despite overall consumer price rises holding steady on August’s levels at 4.1%
-
NewsRetail distress now exceeds 2009 financial crisis levels
Weak demand, fragile confidence and continued disruption from US tariffs have continued to weigh on performance
-
NewsBRC warns government risks ‘losing the battle against inflation’
Food inflation hit 5.1% in August, inching higher than the 4.7% increase in wage growth averaged over May-July
-
NewsHot summer weather warms up retail sales
Retail sales in Britain have increased by slightly more then predicted by economists in August, according to official figures out this morning
-
NewsConsumer confidence on the wane ahead of autumn budget
The long-running GfK consumer confidence index fell by two points to –19 in September
-
NewsWarm weather credited with July UK retail sales uptick
Retail sales volumes climbed 0.6% month on month in July 2025, as the UK’s fifth-warmest July on record helped power a boost in shoe and clothing purchases
-
NewsRetail footfall takes August hit despite high street gains
Retail footfall declined by a further 0.4% year on year in August, in a repeat of last month’s disappointment to retailers
-
NewsConfidence flatlines for food companies as fears grow over Reeves’ budget
A new FDF survey of its members found confidence levels in the second quarter of the year were still at ‘-40%’
-
NewsConsumer confidence improves in August but clouds remain on the horizon
Consumer confidence has climbed to its highest level so far this year but remained fragile ahead of the upcoming autumn budget, according to a new report out this morning
-
NewsFood inflation will hit 5.5% in 2025, Bank of England warns
Food price increases have been driven by rising key food commodities, higher employment costs and extended producer responsibility levies on packaging