Supermarket sales volumes declined in February following a strong rise in January 2025, according to new data.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), food stores sales volumes fell by 2% on the month, following a 4.8% rise in January.

Supermarkets saw the largest downward contribution to overall retail sales, with retailers commenting on economic factors such as increasing prices.

However, overall retail sales volumes are estimated to have risen by 1% in February, following an increase of 1.4% in January.

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The amount spent online rose by 3.3% over the month, while sales values also increasing by 3.9% when comparing February 2025 with February 2024.

Total spend – the sum of in-store and online sales – rose by 0.7% over the month. As a result, the proportion of sales made online rose from 25.8% in January to 26.5% last month.

British Retail Consortium director of insight Kris Hamer said: “Despite the damp, grey weather, retailers saw a solid boost to their sales in February. Retailers are hopeful the March sunshine will boost footfall and drive more consumer spending.”

However, he added: “While the rain clouds may have gone away, retailers face £7bn in new costs in 2025. Furthermore, the uncertainty around the Employment Rights Bill and the new business rates reform mean that retailers are hesitant to invest in new stores and jobs.

“Government must provide clarity in these policy areas as soon as possible to allow businesses to plan accordingly. This will ensure the retail industry is best positioned to support the government’s growth agenda, which the Chancellor espoused in her Spring Statement.”