Economic Buzz: UK retail sales fall 0.5% in July as heatwave hits demand

UK retail sales volumes fell 0.5% month-on-month in July 2026, ending three consecutive months of growth as non-food and online sales weakened following strong promotional activity in June. Hot weather weighed on clothing and household goods demand, while food sales rose 0.5%, supported by the heatwave and World Cup. Annual retail growth slowed to 1.6% from 3.8% in June.

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