Retail sales bounce back across Great Britain

Latest data to defy economic gloom shows 0.5% rise boosted by purchases of sports items, aircon units and fans amid heatwaves

Mark Sweney

Published Sep 18, 2026

Retail sales bounce back across Great Britain

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Retail sales across Great Britain unexpectedly rose last month, the latest economic indicator to defy gloomy forecasts as chancellor John Healey prepares to present next month’s budget.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that the volume of goods sold rose 0.5% month-on-month in August, defying analyst expectations of a 0.2% fall.

Source: The Guardian ↗

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Retail sales bounce back across Great Britain

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