According to the latest data from the Office of National Statistics, UK clothing store sales volumes sank in November with experts blaming the fall on unseasonable weather and warning greater pressures could see price rises or cost cuts.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data for November shows UK non-food retail stores sales volumes – the total of department, clothing, household and other non-food stores – rose 0.2% over the month with a strong positive contribution from other retail sales. This sub-sector rose by 7.9% in November, rebounding from a 7.1% fall in October 2024. Household goods stores rose by 1.1%, with furniture stores having the largest upward contribution to growth.

Partly offsetting this, UK clothing retail sales volumes fell by 2.6% in November, following a 3.5% fall in October 2024. This left clothing store sales volumes at their lowest level since January 2022, with retailers reporting that economic factors were affecting sales.

UK online retail sales fell across all main sectors for the second month in a row in November. For textile, clothing and footwear stores, it was down 5.3% on a month-on-month basis.

What the analysts say about UK retail sales in November

Kris Hamer, Director of Insight at the British Retail Consortium: “After a positive start to the Golden Quarter, November sales stagnated, with higher energy bills and low consumer sentiment impacting spending.

“Clothing suffered from a fall in sales, with milder weather putting many off updating their winter wardrobe. Consumers were also holding out for the main black Friday sales week to pick up beauty and electrical deals, which saw their first falls of the year. The final two months of the year account for over one-fifth of all sales, making it a period of vital importance – particularly for non-food. With a weak November performance, retailers will hope that shoppers come out in force in the final days before Christmas.

“Given the shaky start to the festive season, retailers will be looking at the £7bn in new costs from the Budget facing the industry in 2025 with increased concern. Higher employer national insurance contributions, a higher National Living Wage, and a new packaging levy will heap pressure on an industry that is already paying more than its fair share of tax. With sales growth unable to keep pace, retailers will have no choice but to raise prices or cut costs – closing stores and freezing recruitment.”

Greg Zakowicz, senior ecommerce expert at Omnisend: “Looking ahead to next year, we anticipate that affordability concerns will linger, but as spending may not exceed budgets this Christmas, the seasonal scaling back in January may not be as dramatic this time around.

“Nearly half of consumers we surveyed told us that they plan to hit the January sales, which could be a boost for retailers that may have experienced an unusual slowdown in the run up to Christmas.

“Unfortunately, we are already hearing noise from retailers that plan to close physical stores on the high street, such as the recent announcement from Shoe Zone. This will surely push even more people to online shopping, giving ecommerce sites an edge. 

“While small businesses will also be feeling the squeeze, owners should rest assured that continuing to deliver exceptional customer service and high-quality products will help them to stand out from the corporate crowd.”

Nicholas Found, Senior Consultant at Retail Economics: “November brought mixed fortunes for retail, impacted by Black Friday, as weak consumer confidence is seeing shoppers hold out for promotions. Anxiety following the Autumn Budget combined with a mild start to November delayed spending on seasonal items, including a sharp decline in clothing volumes.

“It is critical delayed spending materialises this Christmas to mitigate the poor start to retail’s all-important festive season. However, cautiousness lingers, slowing momentum in the economy. Households continue to adjust to higher prices, elevated interest rates and real wages growth at a meagre 2%. Consumers are now focusing spending on carefully timed promotions and essentials, while deferring bigger purchases.”

Deann Evans, Managing Director, EMEA, Shopify: After a rise in September and fall in October, it has been a tricky final quarter for retailers. The industry will therefore be pleased to see growth in November. Our recent Holiday Retail report revealed almost a quarter (24%) of UK consumers do the bulk of their shopping in the final two months of the year.”

Jim Rudall, Head of EMEA, Intuit Mailchimp: “With consumer motivation to buy continuing to peak, businesses need to reach the right balance when it comes to promotional activity and engagement and think about how to drive the outcomes and opportunities that the season provides to gain longer-term customer value and loyalty. This is vital as for many retailers, the holiday season represents the year’s biggest opportunity to meet or exceed annual sales goals. In fact, one of our studies reveals two-thirds of marketers estimate that the holiday season drives between 21%-40% of their company’s annual revenue.”

Ben Swails, GM Northern Europe, Pleo: “It’s positive to see the rise in retail sales for November, in what will deliver a much-needed boost for British retailers. Yet with cost of living pressures continuing to scale, scrutiny on consumer spending will remain high. Our research shows that a staggering 76% of employees face higher work expenses in December, with over half (52%) paying double their usual amount. As a result, 48% of workers are left more out-of-pocket than the rest of the year. The impact this will have on disposable income and consumer spending cannot be underestimated.

“Christmas marks a time of increased spending across the board. But with so many employees feeling the added pressure of being out-of-pocket due to work expenses, their ability to take advantage of seasonal sales and continue to support the increase in retail spending may well take a hit this year.”

Matt Jeffers, Managing Director, Retail Strategy & Consulting, Accenture:  “Retailers’ Christmas wishes have been granted early this year, as sales of food and household goods offset a decline in clothing sales and provided a much-needed boost after a difficult autumn. Despite the bad weather brought by Storm Bert, consumers flocked online, helping to offset lower footfall in store. 

“With consumer confidence having improved ahead of Christmas, retailers are poised to capitalise on festive spending. Key opportunities lie in categories like beauty, fashion and toys, with retro-inspired, sustainable, and experiential gifts driving demand. Retailers must take advantage of this, by demonstrating value and attracting late Christmas shoppers through extended hours, click-and-collect services, and fast shipping.”