UK consumer card spending growth hits 15-month high in October, Barclays says

• Barclays’ Consumer Spend report showed UK consumer card spending rose 2.3% year over year in October, the strongest growth in 15 months.
• Growth remained below CPIH inflation of 3.6%, despite accelerating from 2% in September.
• Essential spending increased 3.1%, driven by a 22.7% jump in fuel spending.
• Retail spending edged up 0.5%, while entertainment spending surged 13.9%, its strongest growth since September 2024.
• Confidence in the UK economy fell to 23% from 26%; confidence in spending on non-essentials dropped to 50% from 54%.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Barclays plc published the original content used to generate this news brief on November 10, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.