United Kingdom Cbi Distributive Trades

Last Release

Apr 30, 2025

Actual

-8

Units In

Net Balance

-41

Frequency

Monthly

Next Release

May 28, 2025

Time to Release

28 Days 9 Hours

Highest	Lowest	Average	Date Range	Source
72 Jul 1984	-55 Dec 2008	15.39 Net Balance	1983-2025	Confederation of British Industry

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Distributive Trades Survey (DTS) measures the health of the retail sector. The reading is compiled from a survey of about 150 retail and wholesale companies. It includes measures of sales activity across the distributive trades. It is a leading indicator of consumer spending. The figure is the difference between the percentage of retailers reporting an increase in sales and those reporting a decrease.

Latest Updates

The Confederation of British Industry's retail sales gauge for the United Kingdom rose to -8 in April 2025, the highest in six months, up from -41 in March, beating market expectations of -20. However, the CBI’s outlook for May dropped to -33, the lowest in over a year. Despite a slower decline in April, firms remain concerned about weak consumer sentiment, government measures from the Autumn Budget, and global economic uncertainty. With no sales recovery expected, retailers urge the government to boost business and consumer confidence. While official data showed retail sales unexpectedly increased in March, concerns about rising household bills and the US-China trade war have hurt consumer sentiment. Wholesale sales also fell sharply, and wholesalers expect a continued downturn in May.