UK retail sales volumes rose 1.2% month-on-month in May 2026, rebounding from a downwardly revised 1.0% decline in April and exceeding market expectations of a 0.5% increase. This marked the best performance in four months, driven by a 6.1% jump in non-store retail sales, the largest increase since February 2025, and lifting volumes to their highest level since January 2022. Retailers attributed the gain to promotional campaigns and warmer weather, which boosted demand for seasonal products such as outdoor furniture and fans. Non-food stores also posted solid growth, with department stores benefiting from the same factors. Meanwhile, online sales rose by 3.3%. On a yearly basis, retail trade advanced 3.2%, the strongest reading since January, picking up from 0.1% in April and easily beating forecasts of 1.9% growth. On a three-month basis, retail sales rose 0.4% compared with the three months to February.