Retail sales: Economic indicators

Economic indicators are quick-read summaries of the latest data focusing on different aspects of the UK economy. The full suite of indicators can be found on the main Economic Indicators page.

In March 2025, retail sales in Great Britain totalled £8.9 billion per week, up from £8.5 billion in February. This figure includes money spent in shops, supermarkets, in petrol stations and online.

Between February and March, the total quantity of retail sales volumes increased by 0.4%, following an increase of 0.7% between January and February.

In the three months to March 2025, the volume of sales rose by 1.7% compared with the same period last year. The volume of sales rose by 1.6% in the three months to March 2025 compared with the previous three months. The volume of sales was 0.3% lower in March 2025 compared to February 2020 and pre-pandemic levels.

Sales in food stores fell by 1.3% in March compared with February. The largest downward contribution came from supermarkets.

Sales in non-food stores, such as clothing and department stores, increased by 1.7% between February and March, putting monthly sales volumes at their highest level since March 2022. The largest upward contribution was from sales in clothing stores, with feedback from retailers indicating good weather was a factor in increased sales.

The average weekly value of internet sales was £2.5 billion in March 2025 (excluding fuel). This was 26.8% of all retail sales. Internet sales as a proportion of all retail sales have been rising steadily since 2006, reaching around 19% of all sales in 2019. Internet sales rose sharply in April 2020 with the onset of the pandemic.

Next updates

This page is updated when new data is published. The next source updates will be:

• ONS, Retail Sales, 23 May 2025