The UK Statistics Authority has revised down retail sales data, exacerbating concerns about the accuracy of the data.

The retail sales data in the UK for 2025 are significantly weaker than initially reported, with previous statistical errors exacerbating concerns about the accuracy of the country's economic data. The UK Office for National Statistics reported on Friday that sales growth in the first half of this year was 1.1%, lower than the previously estimated 1.7% - equivalent to about 2 billion in lost sales. This revision was due to statisticians discovering errors in their seasonal adjustment methods. This has placed the beleaguered statistical agency in a deeper crisis of trust in the reliability of official economic data. A series of issues have now affected the labor market, prices, GDP, and retail sales data, making it difficult for policymakers at the Bank of England and government ministers to accurately assess the UK's economic situation. "The data error is regrettable and may reflect the overstretching of resources at the national statistics agency," said Rob Wood, Chief UK Economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. "Ensuring the initial accuracy of data is crucial to building public confidence in official statistics, but equally important is acknowledging errors promptly and correcting them as soon as possible."