Furniture retail sales decreased during October on last month but rose against an annual comparison.
According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, furniture and lighting retail sales fell 10.1% to £1.33bn from £1.48bn in September. Compared to the previous year, sales were up 9% from £1.22bn.
Floorcovering retail sales increased month-on-month, up by 2.1% to £251.2m from £245.9m. Compared to the same time last year, sales fell by 3.6% from £260.6m.
Retail sales volumes (quantity bought) are estimated to have fallen by 1.1% in October 2025, following an increase of 0.7% in September 2025. As for the value (amount spent), this was down 16.3% month-on-month to £40.5bn.
This was the first monthly fall since May 2025. Supermarkets, clothing, and mail order retailers fell in October 2025, which some retailers attributed to consumers delaying their spending in the lead up to Black Friday.
Total sales volumes fell over the month to October 2025, the first monthly fall since May 2025. Supermarket sales volumes fell for the second month in a row. Clothing store sales volumes also fell following a recent peak in September 2025, with retailers reporting that consumers held back in preparation for Black Friday discounts.
Mail order (online) retailers within non-store retailing also dipped on the month, in part because of online clothing retailers. Some online retailers also mentioned delayed spending in the lead up to Black Friday.
The amount spent online, rose by 3.0% comparing the three months to October 2025 with the three months to July 2025, and by 5.1% compared with the three months to October 2024.
Total spend (the sum of in-store and online sales) fell by 0.9% over the month. As a result, the proportion of sales made online remained flat at 28.1% in October 2025 compared with September 2025.
Commenting on the retail sales figures up to October, ONS Chief Economist Grant Fitzner said: “Retail sales grew strongly in the three months to October. This was mainly due to strong clothing sales throughout, peaking in September. Tech stores did well, with strong trading from new product launches continuing into October.
“However, in October alone monthly sales fell back for the first time since May. Supermarkets, clothing stores and online retailers all saw slower sales, with feedback from some retailers that consumers were waiting for November’s Black Friday deals.”
