PwC comments on September 2026 ONS retail sales figures

Commenting on the Office of National Statistics retail sales index for September 2026, Jacqueline Windsor, Head of Retail at PwC UK, said:   
 

"While retail sales volumes slowed marginally in September - by 0.7% excluding petrol compared with August's recovery - they remain up on the quarter (by 1.7%) and up on the year (by 0.8%). This translated into 3.4% more pounds in retailers' tills compared with last September.

"Fashion retailers fared worst, with sales declining by 1.7%. The UK's fourth warmest September did little to encourage shoppers to buy warm seasonal clothing, particularly compared with the autumnal weather 12 months earlier.  

"Although all other retail categories saw sales rise year-on-year, rising petrol prices meant that consumers had to divert more of their spending on filling up their cars – over 30% more than last September - meaning less to spend on other things.

"So, while retail prices, and grocery prices in particular, have remained subdued thanks to industry competition and the delayed pass-through of cost increases due to the conflict in the Middle East, the higher-than-expected inflation reported earlier this week will inevitably translate into less in shoppers' pockets in the critical run-up to Christmas.

"With most retailers' sales coming in the last three months of the year, the upcoming peak season remains on a knife edge. This time last year, uncertainty surrounding the late Budget at the end of November held back spending in the preceding two months. While that makes this year's comparisons easier, retailers will be hoping that anything announced by the Chancellor this year does not add further to their cost of doing business nor dent consumers' sentiment, which already seems to have fallen from the highs at the end of summer."

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:  
Based on the 7am edition of ONS data released on 23rd October here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/retailindustry/bulletins/retailsales/september2026