Retail sales slide more than expected in September as warm weather hits clothing and households cut back before the Budget
Consumer confidence crashed 11 points to -24 in October, the steepest fall since the 2016 Brexit vote apart from the Covid shock. Retail volumes dropped 0.4 per cent in September, against forecasts of 0.1 per cent. Clothing sales sank 0.9 per cent in a warm month, while drivers bought 2.2 per cent more fuel despite rising pump prices. Healey is due to deliver his Budget on 28 October.
GfK's Neil Bellamy called it 'an extraordinary collapse' in confidence.
Spending rose 0.3 per cent while volumes fell, so each pound bought fewer goods.
Bosses are demanding a rollback of employer national insurance hikes before Christmas trading.
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The TelegraphRetail sales slide as households cut back on food before BudgetDaily Mail NewsClothing sales crunch hit high street in September as summer lingered and drivers struggled with surging pump pricesCity A.M.Retail sales fall faster than expected ahead of BudgetReutersUK retail sales fall as consumer confidence tumblesSharecastUK retail sales fall more than expected in SeptemberRetail BulletinUK retail sales fell more than expected in September as warm weather hit clothing demand - Retail BulletinAskTraders.comUK Retail Sales Volumes Fall 0.4% in September as Warm Weather Bites - AskTraders.comDeeside.comWarm September hit autumn clothing sales as UK retail volumes fell 0.4 per cent | - Deeside.comInvesting.comUK retail sales fall 0.4% in September as consumer confidence hits six-month low - Investing.comayrshire-today.co.ukUK retail sales drop after warm weather hits winter clothing demand - ayrshire-today.co.uk
