UK retail sales grow more than expected in July

By Mucahithan Avcioglu

ISTANBUL (AA) – The UK retail sales volume continued to increase in July, with a monthly rise of 0.6%, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Friday.

The figure was above market estimates of a 0.3% rise and followed a downwardly revised 0.3% increase in the previous month.

"Non-store retailers' and clothing stores' sales volumes grew strongly in July 2025, which retailers attributed to new products, good weather, and an increase resulting from the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 tournament," the office said in a statement.

Non-food store sales volumes—the total of department, clothing, household, and other non-food stores—climbed 2.5% in the month, owing to warm weather and events such as the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Women's Euro 2025 tournament, which boosted revenue.

In July, automotive fuel sales increased by 0.9%, while textile clothing and footwear stores saw sales rise by 2.5%.

On the other hand, food store sales declined 0.2% in July, following a 0.7% rise in June.

On an annual basis, retail sales volumes increased 1.1% in July, below estimates of a 1.3% rise.