Online spending was on fire in flaming June

June’s retail sales bulletin from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals retail sales bounced back from a lacklustre May, as shoppers splashed out on summer clothing and drinks. Overall retail sales volumes climbed by 0.9% in June but it was online that saw the biggest wins, says the home delivery expert Parcelhero.

Parcelhero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks M.I.L.T., says: ‘Retail sales volumes perked up a little after a 2.8% fall in May, with supermarkets reporting increased drinks sales and clothing stores’ sales volumes rising by 1%.

‘However, it was online sales that were on fire in flaming June. “Non-store retail” sales volumes, the category which mainly includes online retailers, rose by 1.7%, pushing this sector’s sales volumes to their highest level since February 2022. Sellers told the ONS that promotions and the good weather contributed to the increase.

‘Likewise, the amount we actually spent online rose by 2.3% over May’s results. Household goods saw a 6.5% boom in spending – possibly down to some late spring cleaning!

‘Even more encouragingly for online retailers, spending soared by 4.5% comparing June 2025 to June 2024. That’s a significant year-on-year jump. This online spending surge meant that the proportion of sales made online rose from 27.4% of all retail sales in May to 27.8% in June.

‘Following last month’s retail spending wobble, we said, “The multi-million dollar question is: will this be a one-off blip while shoppers take stock or are Brits now grimly preparing for the possibility of an increasingly uncertain economic future? June’s crunch retail results will tell us a lot more about consumers’ longer-term thinking.”

‘In fact, the jury is still out. Some sectors definitely enjoyed a jump but that overall climb of 0.9% was less than some analysts had hoped for. High Street and online sellers will want to see the upward trend continue through July.

‘Ultimately, it’s those stores with a combined High Street and online offering that are most protected against inflation pressures and  unexpected events. Parcelhero’s influential report “2030: Death of the High Street” has been discussed in Parliament. It reveals that retailers must develop an omnichannel approach, embracing both online and physical store sales. Read the full report at: https://www.parcelhero.com/content/downloads/pdfs/high-street/deathofthehighstreetreport.pdf