The latest Barclays Consumer Spend report showed consumer spend was up 1.9% year-on-year last month, up from 0.8% growth in May, but below the latest rate of inflation.
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While spending at bars, pubs and clubs increased by 0.7% year-on-year, transactions rose by 2.4%, suggesting customers were visiting the on-trade more often but keeping a close eye on how much they spent.
The figures come as England’s World Cup matches delivered some of the biggest trading days of the year for pubs.
Three in five (59%) UK adults said they were watching the tournament, although 47% planned to watch more matches at home than usual because of late kick-off times.
Despite this, pub transactions reached their highest point of 2026 on Saturday 27 June, when the Three Lions played Panama.
Significant uplifts
Activity was five times the daily average for the year, up 389.9%, with the fixture also delivering a 161.7% year-on-year increase.
The delayed England-Mexico fixture on Monday 6 July, also drove a significant uplift, with pub transactions tripling compared with the same period a year earlier, up 201.5%.
England’s draw against Ghana on Tuesday 23 June resulted in a 244.3% year-on-year uplift, while the opening match against Croatia delivered a smaller rise of 10.4%.
The figures suggested it was England fixtures, rather than the tournament as a whole, that provided the biggest boost for operators.
Across the wider hospitality sector, spending increased by 1% in June.
Eating and drinking spending rose by 0.3%, with restaurants, cafes and bakeries flat year-on-year, while bars, pubs and clubs recorded growth of 0.7%.
Meanwhile, consumer confidence remained broadly stable last month.
Cautious optimism
Confidence in household finances stood at 64%, while confidence in non-essential spending was 51% and the ability to live within means remained at 70%.
Respondents were also more confident about their own finances than the wider economy, with 39% saying their personal financial situation was more stable than the nation’s overall position, while 44% felt financially resilient despite concerns about the economy.
For pubs, the outlook remains one of cautious optimism, with consumers feeling relatively secure about their own finances but continuing to scrutinise discretionary spending.
Barclays chief UK economist Jack Meaning said: “While additional spending around the World Cup will be a welcome cushion for the hospitality sector, it remains true that the economy has slowed into the middle of the year.
“Looking ahead to the second half of 2026, we expect growth to pick up modestly, as improving consumer sentiment and reduced uncertainty are partially offset by the temporary inflation bump.”
