UK Retail Sales Rise 1.9% as Heatwave Lifts Online Non-Food 5.1%
Updated
Updated · Fibre2fashion.com · Jul 20
UK Retail Sales Rise 1.9% as Heatwave Lifts Online Non-Food 5.1%
3 articles · Updated · Fibre2fashion.com · Jul 20
Summary
June retail sales in the UK rose 1.9% year on year over the five weeks to July 4, matching the 12-month average but slowing from 3.1% growth a year earlier.
Online non-food sales climbed 5.1% while in-store non-food sales fell 1.1%, as June's heatwave pushed shoppers online and curbed store traffic.
Non-food sales overall increased 1.2%, with gains in adult and children's clothing and weather-linked demand supporting some home categories.
Online penetration for non-food reached 39.0%—up from 37.7% a year earlier and above the 12-month average of 37.9%—marking the highest share of 2026.
The shift highlights a summer challenge for retailers and suppliers: balancing store replenishment with online fulfilment during seasonal demand spikes.