Ticket sales for the Oasis reunion tour helped to increase non-essential spending by British consumers to the highest level this year in September, amid a bumper month for retailers. In a sign of resilience despite a pre-budget hit to consumer confidence, industry figures show retail sales and discretionary spending on entertainment, meals out and little luxuries rose sharply last month. Consumer card data compiled by Barclays showed the fastest growth in non-essential spending this year in September, with a 2.
7% year-on-year increase. It said this was helped by a 36% annual jump in spending on shows and concerts, fuelled by for the Gallagher brothers’ reunion. Separate figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show total UK retail sales rose 2% year on year, above the three-month average, as shoppers hit the high street and went online to buy clothes and computers for the new academic year.
Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the BRC, said: “Retail sales saw the strongest growth in six months as non-food performed better than expected. As autumn rolled out across the UK, shoppers sought to update their wardrobes with coats, boots and knitwear.” However, she warned concerns still remained over the financial outlook as households held back on buying big-ticket items and white goods, amid pressure on family budgets as living costs remained high.
The figures come after surveys showed a last month amid concerns over the government’s plans for a “painful” 30.
