UK consumers showed a marked increase in spending in June, with a 1.9% year-on-year rise attributed largely to the World Cup and an extended heatwave, marking a significant acceleration from May's 0.8% growth. This still lags behind the current 3% rate of consumer inflation, as evidenced by data from Barclays Bank based on debit and credit card transactions.
Pubs experienced a substantial surge in custom during the tournament, with England's group stage victory over Panama emerging as the busiest day of the year to date, registering takings five times higher than the daily average. The draw with Ghana saw a remarkable 244% increase in card spending compared to the same day in 2025, while the round of 16 victory over Mexico recorded a 201.5% uplift. Estimates suggest England's progress to the quarter-finals could have generated an additional £385 million for the economy, potentially rising to £500 million when factoring in all four quarter-final matches.
The heatwave played a significant role in shaping consumer behaviour, with record-breaking temperatures prompting a 2.4% rise in clothing sales as consumers updated their wardrobes. Department stores performed particularly well, seeing a 9.7% increase in sales due to offering air-conditioned environments. Conversely, non-food sales in physical stores declined by 1.1% compared to June last year, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG.
Notably, online non-food sales experienced a significant boost, rising by 5.1% over the same period, considerably higher than the 12-month average growth rate of 1.5%. This pushed the online penetration rate – the proportion of non-food items bought online – to 39%, up from 37.7% in June 2025. The BRC highlighted the ongoing pressures faced by high street shops, including rising business rates, higher employment taxes, and global economic uncertainties.
Looking ahead, the British Beer and Pub Association predicts that England's semi-final match against Argentina could lead to an extra 6 million pints being poured across the UK, surpassing New Year's Eve figures. The Night Time Industries Association has forecast an increase of up to £80 million for the sector. These events provide a welcome, albeit temporary, boost to certain segments of the UK economy.