UK’s consumer card spend increases by 1.2%, retail sales recovering

Consumer card spending rose 1.2 per cent in September in the UK.
Retail sales showed recovery, driven by strong growth in clothing (23.6 per cent month-on-month) and beauty.
Non-essential spending reached a 2024 high of 2.7 per cent, while overall retail spending increased 1.1 per cent YoY.
Seventy per cent sought cost-saving strategies, with loyalty schemes and ‘slow shopping’ gaining popularity.