Retail sales volumes across Great Britain rose by one per cent in June 2026, following a 1.2 per cent increase in May, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Sales were also 4.2 per cent higher than in June last year and 0.9 per cent above their pre-pandemic level in February 2020. Across the second quarter, volumes increased by 0.6% compared with the first three months of the year.

The ONS said promotions and warm weather lifted demand among non-store and clothing retailers, with consumers purchasing summer clothing, sports merchandise, outdoor goods, fans and air-conditioning products.

Clothing-store volumes increased by 1.9 per cent during the month, their strongest monthly rise since September 2025. Computer and telecoms retailers also benefited from continued demand following product launches earlier in the year.

Responding to the figures, British Retail Consortium lead economist Harvir Dhillon said retailers had enjoyed a “strong month overall” as summer sales were rolled out.

“Summer clothing and electrical household appliances, in particular fans and air conditioning, sold well as people looked for ways to fight the heat,” he said.

“A lot of this shopping took place online as the share of internet sales rose to its highest since April 2021 at 29.4 per cent. Computing sales also saw solid growth, which was thanks to strong demand following a series of new product launches.”

Online sales values rose by 2.8 per cent between May and June and were 14.4 per cent higher than a year earlier. With overall retail spending increasing by 0.8 per cent, the proportion of purchases made online climbed from 28.9 per cent to 29.4 per cent.

Despite the positive figures, Dhillon warned that the retail outlook remained uncertain, with household finances under pressure and businesses facing higher operating expenses.

“While retailers have been enjoying the boost to sales, there are challenges ahead, particularly as hostilities in the Middle East resume,” he said.

“Household budgets remain under pressure, consumer confidence is fragile, and retailers are facing rising operating costs.”

Dhillon urged the Government to address the taxes and levies added to businesses’ energy bills, arguing that action was needed to support investment and prevent additional costs from feeding through to consumers.

“To support growth and keep inflation under control, Government should address the taxes and levies that increase businesses’ energy bills,” he added.

“Otherwise, rising costs will continue to constrain investment and make it harder for retailers to keep prices low for customers in the future.”

Although June’s growth was led by online and non-food retailing, the figures provide a broader indication that shoppers remained willing to spend when supported by promotions and seasonal demand.

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