Shoppers hold back spending ahead of Black Friday

British shoppers are holding back on spending ahead of Black Friday, dealing a further blow to retailers after they missed out on significant support at last month’s Budget. Total retail sales in the UK increased by 1.5 per cent year-on-year, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), against growth of 1.6 per cent in the year to October 2025. Food sales growth slowed from 3.5 per cent last year to 3.2 per cent this October, though this was still above the average three per cent growth seen in the last three months. Halloween falling on a Saturday boosted spending on snacks, costumes and decorations, the BRC said, though big-ticket items like furniture saw lower-than-usual interest because shoppers are saving up for Black Friday later this month. Cupboard staples saw higher demand due to the government telling Brits to stock up on supplies like tinned food and bottled water, the BRC said. Retailers said this advice had caught them off guard, prompting fears tha