Card Expenditure covers trends on quarterly volume and value of debit and credit card payments accepted in the UK including a breakdown by retail/services sector.

Key data highlights

Updated 5 September 2025

  • Consumer spending on cards in Q2 was broadly unchanged, in value terms, compared with a year ago. Year-on-year growth in spending in retail sectors was mainly driven by food and drink, and other retailing. This was offset by falls in spending in most services sectors. Our card spending data is consistent with sluggish consumer confidence and cautious discretionary spending.
  • While the value of spending was flat, the number of card transactions was three per cent higher than the same quarter a year ago. With inflation still elevated, particularly in sectors such as food and drink, consumers are shopping around and making more, lower value transactions. The average value of transactions on credit and debit cards was three per cent lower than a year ago.
  • Contactless cards accounted for an increased share of transactions in Q2 with the value increasing by five per cent, and the number of transaction three per cent, compared with the same quarter a year ago. There was also an increase in the number of online transactions (six per cent) compared with 2024 Q2.
Area of expertise:
Data & analysis