Fieldwork conducted on 4-7 November
2025
According to BRC-Opinium data, consumer expectations
over the next three months of:
-
The state of the economy fell significantly to
-44 in November, down from -35 in October.
-
Their personal financial situation worsened to
-16 in November, down from -11 in October.
-
Their personal spending on retail fell to +8
in November, up from +14 in October.
-
Their personal spending overall fell to +14 in
November, down from +18 in October.
-
Their personal saving rose to -5 in November,
up from -9 in October.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail
Consortium, said:
“It has been a tumultuous month of Budget speculation and
consumer confidence took a tumble. Strong hints by government
earlier this month of income tax rises heightened public concern
about their own finances and the wider economy, though government
has since rowed back. With Christmas fast approaching, public
expectations of spending – both on non-food retail goods and
across wider spending – fell. Though expected spending on
groceries did rise to its highest level since the survey began in
2024 as households prepare for Christmas during a period of high
food price inflation.
“The Chancellor needs a few rabbits from the Budget hat next week
to bolster weak consumer and business confidence – both essential
for economic growth. Delivering on her promised business rates
reforms and helping bring down the spiralling cost burden facing
retailers will keep price rises in check and revive the fortunes
of many struggling high streets. After decades of retail and
hospitality paying the lion's share of business rates, there is
finally an opportunity to turn this broken tax into one that
encourages local investment and supports local jobs.”
Consumer expectations for the state of the economy
over the next three months:
Consumer expectations for their personal financial
situation over the next three months:
Consumer expectations of spending over the next three
months by category:
Consumer NET expectations of spending over the next
three months by category:
-ENDS-
The BRC sent this release to our "Monitors" and "General
Retail" media list. To check/update what media lists you are on,
please contact us below.
Methodology:
Fieldwork conducted by Opinium for the BRC. Sample included 2,000
UK adults and results have been weighted and assigned a net
score. The better/worse figures in the graphs are rounded, while
net scores are calculated from precise figures. Questions were:
- Over the next 3 months, do you expect your personal finances
to get better or worse?
- Over the next 3 months, do you expect the state of the UK
economy to get better or worse?
- What do you plan to do in relation to your spending over the
next 3 months?
- Reflecting on your retail spend across different categories,
overall do you expect to spend more or less on retail items over
the next 3 months?
- What are your expectations for saving over the next 3 months?
- What are your expectations for spending on the following
retail categories over the next three months compared to the
previous 3 months?
