British retail sales weakened in August, according to a monthly survey from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) published on Wednesday. The decline followed July's strongest performance in six months, but stores expect a recovery in September.
The CBI's headline sales volume balance, based on retailers' assessment of sales volumes compared with a year earlier, fell to a two-month low of -48 in August from -26 in July.
"Retail firms grew more downbeat in August as they grappled with sharply falling sales volumes. These weak trading conditions, which were echoed across the broader distribution sector, continued to weigh on retailers' investment and hiring plans," said Martin Sartorius, CBI Lead Economist.
Sales expectations for September point to a pickup to -22, the strongest expectations since March. Sales for the time of year in August fell to a two-month low of -26 from -18 in July. The CBI's quarterly business situation balance fell to -29 in August from -15 in May. Investment intentions rose to -16 in August from -52 in May, their strongest since February 2024. Retailers shed jobs at the slowest pace since November 2025. The survey was based on responses from 58 retail chains between July 27 and August 13.
