Consumer Snippets – 19 June 2026

Retail sales rise in May

UK retail sales rose 1.2% MoM in May, well ahead of the 0.5% consensus. This follows April’s -1.0% decline, with annual growth in May of 3.2% vs 1.9% expected (ex-petrol: +1.2% MoM, +4.6% YoY). Warmer weather, half-term and value-led promotions drove the beat, with clothing and online standing out.

A separate confidence survey held steady in June but showed younger consumers at a two-year low on optimism and the weakest appetite for big-ticket purchases since January 2025. Tesco and Morrisons both flagged a slowdown in sales growth since the escalation of the Iran conflict, and while Trump’s interim Iran deal offers some relief, retailers will continue to monitor cost pressures closely heading into the World Cup and peak summer trading period.