UK retail sales volumes surged 1.7% mom in January, far exceeding market expectations of 0.3% m/m, marking a strong recovery from December’s -0.6% mom decline.
This sharp rebound pushed monthly sales index levels to their highest since August 2024.
However, the broader trend remains mixed. Over the three months to January 2025, sales volumes declined by -0.6% compared to the previous three months. On a year-over-year basis, sales volumes rose 1.4%, showing some improvement in spending patterns compared to early 2024.
Despite the monthly rebound, UK retail sales volumes remain -1.3% below pre-pandemic levels from February 2020.
