Fri, 19 Dec 2025

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 Retail sales fall as Black Friday deals fail to lure shoppers

Supermarket sales fell for the fourth month in a row, while discounts did not lift Black Friday spending in November, figures suggest.

* Retail sales fell unexpectedly by 0.1% in November, despite Black Friday discounts
* Supermarket sales fell for the fourth consecutive month
* Sales volumes rose over recent months due to increased purchases of computers, clothing, and furniture
* A separate survey showed consumer confidence reached a 16-month high in December, but sentiment remains subdued
* Interest rate cut to 3.75% could strengthen shopper's confidence and boost consumer spending
* Budget speculation is blamed for unnerving consumers and impacting shopping behavior
* UK government borrowing was higher than expected last month at £11.7bn, but lower than November last year
* Government borrowing for the financial year has reached £132.3bn, which is £10bn ahead of last year's figure
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