UK Retail Sales Log Robust Growth In January: BRC

(RTTNews) - UK retail sales increased in January on robust food and non-food turnover despite rising cost pressures, the British Retail Consortium said on Tuesday.

Retail sales grew 2.6 percent on a yearly basis in January. This was the second consecutive rise but the pace of growth softened from 3.2 percent in December.

Sales were above the three-month average growth of 1.1 percent and the twelve month average of 0.8 percent.

Growth in food sales accelerated to 2.8 percent in January from 1.7 percent in the prior month. Meanwhile, non-food sales growth slowed to 2.5 percent from 4.4 percent. BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson said January sales kicked off a solid month for retail with stores delivering their strongest growth in almost two years, albeit on a weak comparable.

Whether this strong performance can hold out for the coming months is yet to be seen, Dickinson added.

KPMG UK Head of Consumer, Retail & Leisure, Linda Ellett, said "The trading environment remains tough for retailers, with consumer demand still subdued and household essential bills still high."

Business costs are also coming under pressure due to rising employment costs in the coming months, Ellett noted.

"Pricing adjustments, product launches, store closures, job losses, and increased automation and AI are all set to reshape the retail landscape in 2025," said Ellett.