March retail sales – warmer weather boosts sales

The Office for National Statistics has reported retail sales figures in Great Britain for March:

Retail sales volumes rose by 0.4% in March 2025 following a rise of 0.7% in February
Non-food store sales volumes rose by 1.7%, Food fell by 1.3%. Clothing sales volumes were especially strong, up 3.7%
Retail sales had been expected to fall by 0.4%
Charlie Huggins, Manager of the Quality Shares Portfolio at Wealth Club commented:

“Retail sales volumes came in better than expected in March with warmer weather boosting sales for clothing, gardening and DIY goods. Food sales were again weak, however, with sales falling for the second consecutive month.

Although the weather will undoubtedly have helped boost these figures, there is little indication that the UK consumer is significantly cutting back. However, the weak food sales will be a concern to supermarkets.

The cost of the weekly food shop has risen significantly in recent years, and Trump’s tariffs are unlikely to help. That said, with Asda’s recent commitment to slash prices, perhaps it will be supermarkets’ margins rather than consumers’ pockets that bear the brunt of the pressure this time around.

For now, the UK consumer appears to be holding up. But with employment costs rising and fierce competition, pressure on retailers’ profit margins shows no sign of easing.”