Tuesday 3 November 2026 · 3 min read
High street sales grew 4.6% in October, as cooler weather sold winter ranges
Like-for-like sales at the non-food retailers in BDO's High Street Sales Tracker were 4.6% higher in the four weeks to 25 October than a year earlier. Every category grew: fashion by 4.3%, lifestyle by 6.9% and homewares by 8.0%.
Shoppers bought late, and online grew fastest
In the 27 October issue online clothing retailers were telling the ONS that the warm September had left autumn ranges unsold. In October, fashion sales grew 4.3%, which Retail Gazette puts down to shoppers returning to winter wardrobes.
Online sales grew fastest. BDO's non-store sales rose 10.1%, against 2.2% in stores. Stores still take most of the money in most categories, though, so a smaller percentage rise there can still add as much or more in pounds. Fashion grew 9.0% online and 2.1% in store; homewares grew 23.3% online and 2.6% in store.
Read the total with care, for two reasons. First, BDO measures the value of sales, so higher prices can lift it: non-food shop prices were 1.7% higher in October than a year earlier, up from 0.8% in September, according to the BRC-NIQ Shop Price Monitor. Second, shoppers are still cautious: the GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer powered by NIM fell to −24 in October, so one stronger month doesn't mean the mood has turned.
If you sell seasonal ranges, a warm spell can delay winter buying: fashion grew 4.3% once October turned cooler. Retailers who held their nerve and didn't rush to discount autumn stock should have reaped the rewards.
Overheard this week
“The sizing in store is notoriously bad. I find it quite demoralising in store.”
She was speaking to the BBC about why she buys clothes online, which she finds “much quicker than going into a store, paying for parking, trying things on”. If a store visit ends in the fitting room with nothing that fits, cooler weather alone won't bring shoppers back.
Also worth knowing
The Budget kept 5p off fuel duty until July. Wednesday's Budget cancelled January's planned 5p rise and extended the cut to 1 July 2027. Households in council tax bands A to D in England also get a £100 energy payment from January.
Food prices are rising faster. Food prices were 2.9% higher in October than a year earlier, up from 2.5% in September, and shop prices overall were 2.1% higher, up from 1.4%, according to the BRC-NIQ Shop Price Monitor.
Coming up
Thursday 5 November: Bank of England interest rate decision
Date not yet confirmed: Barclays Consumer Spend for October
Friday 20 November: GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer powered by NIM for November, the first reading taken after the Budget
That's it for this week. Reply and tell me what you're seeing.
Chris