Finance
Wet weather keeps UK shoppers at home, CBI survey says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 24, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 24, 2026
Quick Summary
CBI says UK retail sales dropped sharply in February as wet weather kept shoppers away from stores, pushing more spending online. Expectations for March are less negative, but sentiment remains subdued.
CBI: Wet Weather Deters UK Store Visits as Retail Sales Slide in Feb
CBI Retail Survey Highlights
LONDON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - British retail sales fell sharply in February, which stores partly blamed on unusually persistent wet weather that encouraged shoppers to spend online instead, the Confederation of British Industry said on Tuesday.
Sales Volumes and Online Trends
The CBI's monthly distributive trades survey showed the main sales volume balance sink to -43 in February from -17 in January, only just above December's six-month low of -44.
"Retail sales volumes fell at a sharp pace in the year to February, with some firms reporting that the wet weather discouraged shoppers from visiting stores," CBI economist Martin Sartorius said.
Online sales grew at the fastest pace since April 2021, but not enough to boost the overall index.
Outlook for March
Prospects for March are somewhat brighter, with expected sales volumes standing at -17, the least negative in six months.
Retailer Sentiment and Investment
The CBI's quarterly retail business optimism gauge edged up only marginally to -34 this month from November's -35 reading, which was the lowest since 2008 and reflected concerns ahead of finance minister Rachel Reeves' November budget.
Budget Context and Policy Hopes
Next week Reeves will set out new growth forecasts and borrowing plans, although she has said she does not intend to announce significant changes in government policy.
"Firms will be looking for the Chancellor to set out how the government plans to mitigate the impact of rising employment costs in the distribution sector, particularly given its vital role in providing first jobs for young people," Sartorius said.
Reporting and Credits
(Reporting by David Milliken, editing by Andy Bruce)
Key Takeaways
- •CBI survey reports a sharp fall in UK retail sales for February, with wet weather discouraging store visits.
- •Online sales saw the fastest growth since April 2021 but failed to offset the overall decline.
- •Retailers expect March sales to be less negative than February, signaling a mild improvement.
- •Quarterly business optimism ticked up only slightly, remaining near multi‑year lows.
- •Retailers seek relief on rising employment costs as Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares new forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions about Wet weather keeps UK shoppers at home, CBI survey says
1What is the main topic?
The article covers the CBI’s latest survey showing a sharp fall in UK retail sales in February, partly due to persistent wet weather that reduced in‑store footfall and shifted spending online.
2How did online sales perform?
Online sales rose at the fastest pace since April 2021, but the increase was not enough to lift the overall sales balance into positive territory.
3What is the outlook for March?
Retailers expect sales in March to be less negative than February, suggesting a slight improvement, though overall optimism among firms remains weak.
