Retail sales across Great Britain unexpectedly declined last month, as the traditional Black Friday shopping surge failed to materialise with its usual force. New data suggests increasingly cautious consumers reined in their spending during the key discount period.
Key Figures Point to Consumer Caution
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that retail sales volumes fell by 0.1% in November. This follows a sharper decline of 0.9% in October, which was preceded by a 0.8% rise in September. The November dip may heighten concerns that economic uncertainty in the run-up to the Autumn Budget on 26 November acted as a drag on activity.
Hannah Finselbach, a senior statistician at the ONS, provided context for the figures. "Retail continued to grow in the three months to November, helped by a strong performance from clothing and tech shops," she said. "However, this year November’s Black Friday discounts did not boost sales as much as in some recent years."
Sector Performance and Shifting Habits
The data reveals a mixed picture across different retail sectors. While clothing, technology, and furniture stores performed well, other areas struggled significantly. Spending at non-store retailers, predominantly online, fell, and supermarket sales volumes dropped for the fourth month in a row, with retailers citing low footfall in stores.
The ONS suspects the impact of Black Friday on the sector was slightly weaker than usual this year. This assessment is backed by findings from a separate household survey. "Although some people said they were planning to do more shopping this Black Friday than last, almost twice as many said they were planning to do less," Finselbach noted.
Broader Trends and Economic Implications
Despite the monthly volatility, the broader three-month picture shows some resilience. Retail sales were 0.6% higher in the period from September to November 2025 compared with the previous three months. However, the consecutive monthly falls in October and November will be closely watched by economists and policymakers as a potential signal of weakening consumer confidence.
The fading Black Friday effect and continued pressure on supermarket spending suggest households are carefully prioritising their budgets. This trend could have wider implications for the UK's economic growth as it enters the final quarter of the year, with all eyes now on post-Christmas trading figures.
