Consumer card spending in furniture stores rose during September when compared to last year, says new data from Barclays.

According to the latest Barclays Consumer Spending Index, which includes both debit and credit cards, furniture store spending growth increased 7.5%, while transaction growth was up 3.9% against the same month last year.

Home improvement and DIY stores saw spending growth decline 2.4%, with transaction growth down 6.6%. Department stores saw spending growth decrease 6.2%, with transaction growth down by 2.4%.

Discount stores saw a decrease of 5.8% in spend growth, while transaction growth was down 6.3%, and garden centres experienced an increase of 2.9% in spend growth and an uptick of 0.7% in transaction growth.

Overall, consumer card spending declined -0.7 per cent year-on-year in September, down from 0.5 per cent growth in August and lower than the latest CPIH inflation rate of 4.1 per cent. Essential spending fell -2.6 per cent, while growth in discretionary spending slowed to 0.2 per cent. Clothing, furniture and beauty all had strong months, however, as affordable, ‘pick-me-up’ purchases were prioritised amid wider cutbacks.

Karen Johnson, Head of Retail at Barclays, said: “It is encouraging to see that UK consumers feel confident in their ability to manage their budgets, amid ongoing cost of living concerns. We’re continuing to see cautious spending, and shoppers are consistently seeking out areas they can cut back on.

“However, multiple retail categories have proven to be resilient in recent months, with furniture, clothing, and beauty all remaining in growth since February of this year.”