--- title: "UK retail sales growth slows to 1.3% in September" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/business/uk-retail-sales-growth-slows-to-13-in-september" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/uk-retail-sales-growth-slows-to-13-in-september" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/business/uk-retail-sales-growth-slows-to-13-in-september.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/uk-retail-sales-growth-slows-to-13-in-september" category: "Business & Economy" area: "United Kingdom" published: "2026-10-13T07:46:03.646Z" source_reported: "2026-10-13T07:01:00.000Z" updated: "2026-10-13T07:46:03.646Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 70 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-13T08:45:12.701377+00:00" --- # UK retail sales growth slows to 1.3% in September *Consumers show caution ahead of the Budget, with food sales rising but fashion lagging.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to BRC and KPMG, with two full reports and multiple digests. - Craft 70 of 100, higher is better. Reports clearly separate facts from comment and provide specific figures, dates, and names. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. Headlines and content are measured and proportionate to the reported data. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Total UK retail sales rose 1.3% in September, down from 2.3% growth in September 2025. - Food sales increased by 2.5%, but non-food sales saw only a 0.3% rise. - Health and beauty sales performed strongly, boosted by Pokemon anniversary products. - Retailers are concerned about potential tax increases and business rates ahead of the Budget. Total retail sales in the UK increased by 1.3% year-on-year in September. This growth rate is lower than the 2.3% recorded in September of the previous year. Food sales contributed to the overall rise, growing by 2.5%, while non-food sales saw a more modest increase of 0.3%. The health and beauty sector experienced its best month of the year, partly due to products released for Pokemon's 30th anniversary. In contrast, fashion sales were weak, a situation attributed by analysts to prolonged warm weather that delayed the seasonal shift to autumn clothing. Consumers are reportedly becoming more selective in their spending and are concerned about the potential financial impact of the upcoming Budget. Retail industry representatives have called on the Chancellor to avoid introducing a warehouse tax and to exempt high street businesses from the highest business rates multiplier. ## Disagreement on sales growth figures The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG reported that total UK retail sales increased by 1.3% year-on-year in September, a decrease from 2.3% growth in September 2025. Reuters and WTVB digests stated that much of consumers' extra outlay went on fuel, while warm weather helped pubs but hurt clothing sales. The Independent (US) and Evening Standard digests also reported the 1.3% year-on-year increase, noting it was a fall from 2.3% growth last September and below the 12-month average growth of 1.5%. ## Omissions None of the right-rated outlets ran this story. The digests from Reuters and WTVB did not mention the specific figures for food sales growth or non-food sales growth, nor did they detail the performance of the health and beauty or fashion sectors. They also did not include the specific calls from retailers regarding a warehouse tax or business rates exemptions. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 33% (2) - Centre: 67% (4) - Right: 0% (0) 2 of 8 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-13T08:45:12.701377+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 8 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-13T09:45:08.796Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports highlighted the overall slowdown in retail sales growth, noting the 1.3% year-on-year increase in September was a fall from 2.3% in the previous year. They also reported on the specific growth figures for food (2.5%) and non-food (0.3%) sales. Both The Independent (US) and The Independent reports mentioned that health and beauty sales performed strongly, boosted by Pokemon anniversary products. They also noted that clothing and footwear sales were weak due to unseasonably warm weather. The BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson was quoted expressing concern that the Chancellor cannot ease the cost of living while imposing more costs on retailers. The reports also included figures from Barclays showing card spending rose 2% year-on-year in September and that confidence in household finances climbed to a seven-month high, though many were concerned about the Budget's impact. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports focused on the "sluggish" nature of retail sales growth in September, with City AM quoting the BRC and KPMG figures of a 1.3% year-on-year increase, down from 2.3% in September 2025. They noted that food sales grew by 2.5% and non-food sales by 0.3%. The strong performance of health and beauty sales, aided by Pokemon anniversary products, was also mentioned. Fashion sales were identified as a drag on growth due to warm weather. The reports highlighted retailers' calls to the Chancellor to avoid a warehouse tax and exempt high street businesses from the highest business rates multiplier. Quotes from Linda Ellet of KPMG described consumers as "increasingly selective" and engaged in a "battle for share of wallet." Sarah Bradbury of IGD noted that pre-Budget tax speculation was weighing on shoppers' minds. Reuters and WTVB digests mentioned that consumers kept a lid on spending, with much of their outlay going on fuel, while warm weather helped pubs but hurt clothing sales. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 3 - unknown: 2 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Reuters](https://reuters.com/world/uk/uk-retail-sales-growth-slows-4-month-low-august-brc-says-2026-09-07) — UK shoppers stay cautious as fuel costs bite, surveys show - [bigfurnituregroup.com](https://bigfurnituregroup.com/sluggish-sales-as-shoppers-look-for-budget-boost) — Sluggish sales as shoppers look for Budget boost - Big Furniture Group - [WTVB](https://wtvbam.com/2026/10/12/uk-shoppers-stay-cautious-as-fuel-costs-bite-surveys-show) — UK shoppers stay cautious as fuel costs bite, surveys show - [City AM](https://cityam.com/retail-sales-sluggish-as-shoppers-feel-cautious-ahead-of-budget) — Retail sales ‘sluggish’ as shoppers feel cautious ahead of Budget - [Evening Standard](https://standard.co.uk/business/business-news/budget-fashion-kpmg-retailers-b1300539.html) — Retail sales sluggish as consumers exercise spending caution ahead of Budget - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/business/brc-budget-kpmg-helen-dickinson-b3065553.html) — Retail sales sluggish as consumers exercise spending caution ahead of Budget - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/business/brc-budget-kpmg-helen-dickinson-b3065553.html) — Retail sales sluggish as consumers exercise spending caution ahead of Budget - [Western Morning News](https://westernmorning.news/2026/10/12/retail-sales-sluggish-as-consumers-exercise-spending-caution-ahead-of-budget) — Retail sales sluggish as consumers exercise spending caution ahead of Budget ## Questions **How much did UK retail sales grow in September?** Total UK retail sales increased by 1.3% year-on-year in September. This represents a slowdown compared to the 2.3% growth recorded in September of the previous year. **Which sectors performed well and which did not?** Food sales grew by 2.5%, contributing to the overall increase. Health and beauty sales saw their strongest month of the year, boosted by Pokemon anniversary products. However, fashion sales were weak, partly due to prolonged warm weather delaying the switch to autumn wardrobes. **What are retailers asking the Chancellor to do?** Retailers are urging the Chancellor to avoid a warehouse tax and to exempt high street businesses from the highest business rates multiplier. They are concerned that additional costs could push up prices and hinder investment and job creation. **What are consumers concerned about?** Consumers are reportedly becoming increasingly selective with their spending and are concerned about the potential impact of the upcoming Budget on their household finances. Speculation about pre-Budget tax increases is weighing on shoppers' minds. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/business/uk-retail-sales-growth-slows-to-13-in-september. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "UK retail sales growth slows to 1.3% in September", https://mediabias.news/business/uk-retail-sales-growth-slows-to-13-in-september