Vereinigtes Königreich von Großbritannien und Nordirland Cbi Distributive Trades

The Confederation of British Industry's retail sales gauge for the United Kingdom dropped by 18 points to -41.0 in March 2025, the lowest level since April 2024 and significantly below market expectations of -28.0. This marked the sector's sixth consecutive month of decline, with retailers and wholesalers citing global trade tensions and the Autumn Budget as key factors dampening consumer and business confidence, leading to weaker demand. Meanwhile, online retail sales volumes declined at a similar pace to the previous month (-27.0 vs. -28.0 in February), and sales for the time of year were considered below seasonal norms in March, mirroring the trend seen in February (-36.0 vs. -34.0).