UK consumer spending slows in February as inflation fears dim sentiment, survey shows

UK consumer spending slows in February as inflation fears linked to West Asia tensions weigh on sentiment: Survey

Consumer spending in the United Kingdom grew modestly in February as households turned cautious amid fears that tensions in West Asia could push up inflation and energy costs, according to surveys by Barclays and the British Retail Consortium

UK consumer spending slows in February as inflation fears dim sentiment, survey shows

British consumer spending grew slowly in February as households grew more pessimistic about the outlook for the economy ​with the Middle East conflict raising concerns about a fresh ‌rise in inflation, surveys showed on Tuesday.

Consumer confidence falls amid inflation fears - Credit Connect

Consumer sentiment has dropped sharply since the conflict in the Middle East escalated, according to a survey by Barclays. The survey found that around 80% of consumers are concerned that the conflict will increase inflation and energy costs. Nearly half of the respondents said they had already started adjusting their spending behaviour. The data showed that confidence in the economy dipped two percentage points last week to 23 per cent, down fr…

Middle East conflict knocks fragile consumer confidence as online retail growth stays muted - InternetRetailing

The war in the Middle East has dealt a heavy blow to the fragile return of consumer confidence seen in January, according to new data from Barclays. Confidence in the UK, European, US and global economies fell in early March, reversing what had looked like the start of a cautious recovery. Polling conducted from 3–6 March shows UK economic confidence dropping to 23%, down from 25% at the end of February and below January levels. Four in five con…

UK economic confidence declines amid global conflict and rising fuel costs

Confidence in the UK economy has dipped two percentage points last week to 23% as tensions in the Middle East prompted concerns over inflation and energy prices, according to the latest Barclays Consumer Spend report. Polling conducted between 3-6 March found that confidence in the UK, European, US and global economy all declined following the recent outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.  Four in five (82%) are concerned about the impact of t…

Card spend in local stores grows amidst food price concerns

Consumer card spending on groceries in Food & Drink Specialists, which includes convenience stores, as well as off-licences, butchers and bakeries, has grown 6.1%, while transaction growth has risen 7.4% from 23 January 2026 – 19 February 2026, versus the same period in 2025, according to Barclays. This is in stark contrast to consumer card spending in supermarkets, which saw a meagre 0.1% rise and a 2% decline in transaction growth across the s…