In the run up to Christmas, spending is likely to remain muted as consumers remain concerned about the state of the economy, a new survey from the British Retail Consortium has found.

The BRC-Opinium data reveals UK consumer confidence remains weak as Christmas approaches.

Fieldwork conducted by market agency Opinium for the BRC sampled data from 2,000 UK adults with results weighted and a net score assigned.

Consumer expectations over the next three months of their:

• Personal financial situation improved slightly to -3 in November, up from -4 in October

• State of the economy worsened slightly to -19 in November, down from -17 in October

• Personal spending on retail rose slightly to +3 in November, up from +2 in October

• Personal spending overall remained at +17 in November, the same as in October

• Personal saving remained at -9 in November, the same as in October.

Specifically, spend on clothing is expected to fall in the next three months as UK consumer confidence remains weak.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said:

“There was little shift in consumer confidence since the Chancellor’s budget, with many worried about the economy in the lead up to Christmas. While there was a very slight improvement in people’s expectations of their personal financial situation, this was offset by declining expectations of the wider economy. Personal retail spending remained positive, edging up slightly, though this was to be expected as consumers prepare for the festive season. Within this, non-food spending expectations remained low, though expectations of spending on eating out improved the most out of all categories, as people prepare for Christmas catch-ups with friends and relatives.”

She added: “The last month clearly did little to shift the dial for households either positively or negatively, however, the same cannot be said for the retail industry. With over £7bn ($8.88bn) in additional costs in 2025 resulting from the Budget, retailers will have little choice but to raise prices or reduce investment in jobs and shops. To mitigate this, the government must ensure that changes to the business rates system, planned for 2026, bring about a meaningful reduction in bills for all retailers.”