UK Consumer Spending Remains Strong in Boost for Growth Hopes

UK households increased their spending in March as consumer demand defied an imminent rise in household bills, according to reports from the British Retail Consortium and Barclays.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said there were “signs of underlying strengthening of demand” and Barclays’ Consumer Spend Report showed that “confidence in discretionary spending remained resilient.” A majority of people now plan to buy British products following the sharp rise in US tariffs, Barclays added.