UK client spending resilient in March regardless of tariff fears and rising enterprise issues

British client spending confirmed modest development in March. There do appear to be indicators of pressure starting to emerge beneath the floor.

British Retail Consortium (BRC) knowledge:

• whole retail gross sales rose 1.1% year-on-year in March, matching February’s tempo
• like-for-like gross sales additionally held regular at zero.9%

BRC chief govt Helen Dickinson highlighted the resilience of each meals and non-food classes, suggesting a quiet strengthening in client urge for food regardless of geopolitical pressures.

In distinction, Barclays’ broader measure of UK client spending — which incorporates debit and bank card transactions — painted a extra subdued image:

• spending rose simply zero.5% year-on-year, down from 1.zero% in February and falling wanting inflation
• grocery store gross sales dropped 2.6%, though hotter climate did help spending at backyard centres and specialty meals retailers

Barclays chief UK economist Jack That means warned of a potential softening in client exercise forward.

• “We count on spending to stay muted via mid-2025, earlier than progressively recovering into 2026 as rate of interest cuts and stabilising situations take maintain”

This text was written by Aaron Cutchburt at www.ubaidahsan.com.



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