United Kingdom Cbi Distributive Trades

Last Release

Aug 31, 2025

Actual

-32

Units In

Net Balance

-34

Frequency

Monthly

Next Release

Sep 26, 2025

Time to Release

28 Days 12 Hours

Highest	Lowest	Average	Date Range	Source
72 Jul 1984	-55 Dec 2008	14.99 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 UK increased slightly to -32 in August 2025 from -34 in July, better than market expectations of -33. The latest reading indicated that retail sales volumes declined for the 11th consecutive month. Looking ahead, the outlook for September brightened to -16. Shops raised prices at the fastest pace since late 2023, with the CBI’s price gauge jumping to +65, though a slowdown is expected next month. The CBI said weak demand and higher labor costs are squeezing margins, hurting confidence and leading firms to cut back on hiring and investment. Retailers also face pressure from higher employment taxes set by Finance Minister Rachel Reeves and a sharp rise in the minimum wage.