Furniture retail sales decreased during February on last month but were up against an annual comparison.
According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, furniture and lighting retail sales fell 17.1% to £1.21bn from £1.46bn in January. Compared to the previous year, sales were up 6.1% from £1.14bn.
Floorcovering retail sales decreased month-on-month, down by 18.3% to £261.1m from £319.6m. Compared to the same time last year, sales rose by 26.7% from £206m.
Retail sales volumes (quantity bought) are estimated to have risen by 1.0% in February 2025. As for the value (amount spent), this was down 15.8% month-on-month to £37.7bn.
Non-food stores – the total of department, clothing, household and other non-food stores – rose by 3.1% over the month. This put monthly sales volumes at their highest level since March 2022. Household goods stores rose by 6.8%, their largest monthly rise since April 2021, with hardware stores having the largest upward contribution.
The amount spent online, known as “online spending values”, rose by 3.3% over the month to February 2025. Sales values also rose by 3.9% when comparing February 2025 with February 2024. However, they fell by 3.1% when comparing the three months to February 2025 with the three months to November 2024. Total spend – the sum of in-store and online sales – rose by 0.7% over the month. As a result, the proportion of sales made online rose from 25.8% in January 2025 to 26.5% in February 2025.
Commenting on the retail sales figures for February, ONS senior statistician Hannah Finselbach said: “Retail sales jumped again in February with increases across most sectors. However, after a very strong January, food sales fell back this month, particularly across supermarkets.
“It was a positive month for household goods stores with their largest rise since April 2021, driven by hardware store sales. Clothing sales also picked up a little, due to falling prices from widespread discounting.
“Looking at the wider trend, retail sales are now showing growth across both the three-month and annual period, but remain below pre-pandemic levels.”
Responding to the latest ONS Retail Sales Index figures, Kris Hamer, Director of Insight at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Despite the damp, grey weather, retailers saw a solid boost to their sales in February. Computing and household electricals performed well as people continued to upgrade their tech. Meanwhile, footwear and clothing struggled this month due to the gloomy weather putting a dampener on demand. Nonetheless, retailers are hopeful the March sunshine will boost footfall and drive more consumer spending.
“While the rain clouds may have gone away, retailers face £7bn in new costs in 2025. Furthermore, the uncertainty around the Employment Rights Bill and the new business rates reform mean that retailers are hesitant to invest in new stores and jobs. Government must provide clarity in these policy areas as soon as possible to allow businesses to plan accordingly. This will ensure the retail industry is best positioned to support the Government’s growth agenda, which the Chancellor espoused in her Spring Statement.”
