Britain’s retail sector enjoyed an unexpected boost in May as warmer weather encouraged shoppers to spend on outdoor goods, home products and online purchases, providing a rare bright spot for the consumer economy.
Retail sales volumes rose 1.2 per cent during the month, according to the Office for National Statistics, reversing a revised 1 per cent decline in April and beating economists’ expectations of a 0.5 per cent increase.
The stronger-than-forecast figures were driven largely by the impact of hotter weather, with retailers reporting increased demand for fans, garden furniture, outdoor equipment and summer goods.
Online retailers were among the biggest winners, with sales volumes at non-store retailers — which are dominated by internet shopping — climbing 6.1 per cent, the strongest monthly performance since February 2025.
Department stores also benefited from improved consumer activity, with sales rising 2.5 per cent, while household goods retailers recorded a 3.2 per cent increase.
Clothing and footwear retailers saw a more modest improvement, with sales up 0.3 per cent.
However, the recovery was uneven.
Food retailers continued to struggle, with sales volumes falling 0.4 per cent compared with the previous month, reflecting ongoing pressure on household budgets and cautious consumer behaviour.
Over the three months to May, retail sales volumes increased 0.4 per cent, as stronger performances in March and May offset April’s weakness.
Jon Gough, senior statistician at the ONS, said department stores had performed particularly strongly and retailers reported that warmer conditions had helped sales of seasonal items.
“Feedback from retailers suggested the hot weather in May helped sales of items such as fans and paddling pools,” he said.
But analysts warned that the figures should be treated with caution.
Jacqueline Windsor, head of retail at PwC UK, said the improvement was partly boosted by comparisons with a weaker period last year and by the timing of the warm weather around the bank holiday and school half-term.
She said shoppers had responded by buying barbecue food, summer clothing, fans and outdoor products, but warned that traditional high streets had failed to benefit from the recovery.
“Online retailers reaped the rewards,” she said, highlighting the continuing shift away from physical stores.
The latest figures provide some encouragement for retailers after months of subdued consumer confidence, but they also underline the fragile nature of the recovery.
A spell of sunshine was enough to lift spending, yet underlying pressures remain: households are still managing higher costs, cautious budgets and uncertainty over the wider economic outlook.
For Britain’s retailers, the May rebound was welcome — but the challenge remains turning a weather-driven bounce into a sustained recovery.
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