• Barclays consumer spend data showed UK card spending fell 0.1% year over year in April, first decline since November 2024, underperforming 3.4% CPIH inflation.
• Non-essential spend slipped 0.3%, while essential spend rose 0.3%, driven by 10.4% jump in fuel, strongest increase since December 2022.
• Travel spending dropped 5.7%, with airlines down 8.3%, as consumers flagged higher costs and disruption risk tied to Middle East tensions.
• Consumer confidence in household finances eased to 64% from 65% in March, while 51% reported trying to build precautionary savings buffers.
• Digital content and subscriptions rose 9.2%, bucking broader slowdown, while eating and drinking stayed broadly flat at 0.2%.

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 May 12, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.