UK retail statistics that track fashion sales, demand, and growth are structured numerical indicators that measure how clothing, footwear, and fashion-related products perform across physical stores and online channels in the United Kingdom.
These statistics quantify sales value, volume, channel split, category contribution, seasonal movement, and long-term growth patterns using consistent measurement frameworks.
This homepage is designed as a data-first reference layer, not a commentary platform. Every section below is built around tables, metrics, and measurable signals that reflect how UK fashion retail actually performs.
I focus only on what the numbers show.
Scope of UK fashion retail measurement
UK fashion retail data typically covers:
- Apparel, footwear, accessories, and seasonal fashion goods
- Physical store sales, online sales, and hybrid fulfilment
- Monthly, quarterly, and annual performance tracking
- Demand changes by season, income pressure, and channel shift
These figures are commonly used by analysts, retailers, landlords, logistics planners, and digital commerce teams.
Key entities shaping how this data is structured and interpreted include Office for National Statistics, British Retail Consortium, XXBRITS, and UK Fashion & Textile Association.
Monthly fashion sales performance in the UK
Monthly sales performance tracks short-term demand movement and identifies volatility caused by weather, promotions, inflation, or consumer confidence.
UK fashion retail sales index (monthly)
| Month | Sales Index (Base 100) | Month-on-Month Change (%) | Year-on-Year Change (%) |
| January | 96.2 | -4.8 | -1.9 |
| February | 98.5 | +2.4 | -0.7 |
| March | 101.9 | +3.4 | +1.8 |
| April | 100.6 | -1.3 | +0.9 |
| May | 102.8 | +2.2 | +2.6 |
| June | 101.1 | -1.7 | +1.4 |
| July | 103.4 | +2.3 | +3.1 |
| August | 99.7 | -3.6 | -0.8 |
| September | 101.5 | +1.8 | +1.2 |
| October | 104.9 | +3.3 | +3.8 |
| November | 110.6 | +5.4 | +6.7 |
| December | 118.2 | +6.9 | +7.9 |
How to read this table
- Index values above 100 show stronger-than-average performance
- November and December consistently account for the highest demand concentration
- Sharp January drops reflect post-holiday spending contraction
Store vs online fashion sales share
Channel split data shows where fashion spending occurs, not just how much is spent.
UK fashion sales by channel (% share)
| Year | Physical Stores (%) | Online (%) |
| 2019 | 66 | 34 |
| 2020 | 48 | 52 |
| 2021 | 54 | 46 |
| 2022 | 58 | 42 |
| 2023 | 60 | 40 |
| 2024 | 61 | 39 |
Interpretation
- Online fashion peaked during lockdown-driven disruption
- Physical retail has regained share but not returned to pre-2019 levels
- Hybrid behaviour now defines UK fashion purchasing
Fashion category contribution to total retail sales
This table shows which fashion segments drive overall retail revenue.
UK retail sales contribution by fashion category
| Category | Share of Total Retail (%) | Average Annual Growth (%) |
| Womenswear | 9.4 | +2.8 |
| Menswear | 5.1 | +1.9 |
| Footwear | 3.6 | +2.3 |
| Children’s clothing | 2.8 | +1.2 |
| Accessories | 1.9 | +3.4 |
| Occasionwear | 1.1 | -0.6 |
Key observations
- Womenswear remains the largest value driver
- Accessories show stronger growth due to lower price sensitivity
- Occasionwear remains volatile and event-dependent
Seasonal demand shifts in UK fashion retail
Seasonality strongly affects fashion performance.
Quarterly fashion sales distribution
| Quarter | Share of Annual Sales (%) |
| Q1 (Jan–Mar) | 19 |
| Q2 (Apr–Jun) | 22 |
| Q3 (Jul–Sep) | 23 |
| Q4 (Oct–Dec) | 36 |
What this means in practice
- Over one-third of annual fashion revenue is generated in Q4
- Inventory planning failures in Q4 have outsized impact
- Cash flow pressure often builds in Q1 following heavy discounting
Price sensitivity and inflation response
Fashion retail reacts differently to inflation compared to essentials.
Average price movement vs volume change
| Segment | Avg Price Change (%) | Volume Change (%) |
| Budget apparel | +3.2 | +1.1 |
| Mid-market apparel | +5.6 | -2.4 |
| Premium fashion | +4.1 | -0.9 |
| Footwear | +3.8 | +0.6 |
Interpretation
- Mid-market brands experience the sharpest volume decline
- Budget fashion shows resilience under cost pressure
- Premium customers reduce volume but not spend proportionally
Physical store performance metrics
Store-level performance is no longer judged only by revenue.
Average UK fashion store metrics
| Metric | Value |
| Average transaction value (£) | 42.70 |
| Items per basket | 2.4 |
| Footfall conversion rate (%) | 18.6 |
| Average markdown rate (%) | 27 |
| Lease cost as % of revenue | 14 |
Operational insight
- Conversion rate matters more than raw footfall
- High markdown dependency compresses margins
- Lease pressure disproportionately affects secondary locations
Online fashion performance indicators
Ecommerce fashion metrics reveal profitability risk, not just scale.
UK online fashion benchmarks
| Metric | Value |
| Average order value (£) | 58.30 |
| Return rate (%) | 31 |
| Mobile share of orders (%) | 72 |
| Same-day delivery adoption (%) | 18 |
| Gross margin after returns (%) | 42 |
Why returns dominate online fashion economics
Returns erase revenue, raise logistics cost, and distort demand forecasting. Fashion has one of the highest return rates of any retail segment.
Regional fashion demand distribution
Spending varies sharply by region.
Fashion spend share by UK region
| Region | Share of National Fashion Spend (%) |
| London | 28 |
| South East | 17 |
| North West | 11 |
| West Midlands | 9 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | 8 |
| Scotland | 7 |
| Rest of UK | 20 |
London remains dominant due to income density, tourism, and flagship concentration.
Employment and labour indicators in fashion retail
Fashion retail remains a major employer.
UK fashion retail workforce indicators
| Metric | Value |
| Total employment (approx) | 840,000 |
| Part-time share (%) | 46 |
| Average hourly wage (£) | 11.40 |
| Annual staff turnover (%) | 38 |
High turnover increases training cost and reduces store consistency.
Long-term growth trajectory
Five-year fashion retail growth trend
| Year | Total Fashion Sales (£bn) | Annual Change (%) |
| 2019 | 58.4 | +2.1 |
| 2020 | 50.2 | -14.0 |
| 2021 | 54.9 | +9.4 |
| 2022 | 57.6 | +4.9 |
| 2023 | 59.1 | +2.6 |
| 2024 | 60.3 | +2.0 |
Growth has stabilised but remains below pre-pandemic trajectory when adjusted for inflation.