Consumer card spending in UK furniture stores increased in September 2025, rising 7.5% year-on-year, according to Barclays' latest Consumer Spending Index. Transaction growth in furniture stores also rose 3.9%, bucking the broader trend of declining retail activity.
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By contrast, home improvement and DIY stores saw spending fall 2.4%, while department stores and discount outlets experienced declines of 6.2% and 5.8% respectively. Garden centres recorded modest growth of 2.9% in spending. Overall consumer card spending fell 0.7% year-on-year in September, down from 0.5% growth in August and below the CPIH inflation rate of 4.1%. Essential spending dropped 2.6%, while discretionary spending slowed to 0.2%.
Karen Johnson, Head of Retail at Barclays, commented that the resilience in furniture, clothing, and beauty sectors shows "UK consumers feel confident in their ability to manage their budgets" amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures. She noted shoppers are prioritising affordable, discretionary purchases even as overall spending remains cautious.
The data highlights furniture as a key sector benefiting from "pick-me-up" purchases, offering retailers insight into consumer behaviour during economic uncertainty.
Source: www.bigfurnituregroup.com
