Barclays: UK card spending growth rises to 2% in July as consumer confidence hits 21-month high

• Barclays’ July consumer spend analysis showed UK card spending rose 2% year-on-year, below CPIH inflation of 2.8%.
• Essential spending increased 2.9%, non-essential spending rose 1.6%, pointing to modest real-terms pressure on discretionary demand.
• UK economic confidence climbed to 30%, a 21-month high, while confidence in the European economy rose to 35%, the highest since 2015.
• Hospitality and leisure spending gained 2.2%; pub transaction volumes jumped 10%, signaling event-driven support for services demand.
• Travel spending slipped 0.3%; airlines fell 6% while accommodation rose 2.6%, indicating continued preference for domestic breaks.

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 August 11, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.