Retail is facing mounting pressure, as store footfall saw a sharp decline in April – against strong comparatives from last year, when easter fell in April, not March.
According to BRC-Sensormatic data, total UK footfall decreased by 10.7% in April (YoY), down from 2.4% in March. High street footfall decreased by 9.2%, retail park footfall decreased by 9.0%, and shopping centre footfall decreased by 10.1%.
Footfall decreased YoY across all nations – down 5.2% in Scotland, 11.3% in England, 13.8% in Wales, and the largest decrease of 14.3% in Northern Ireland.
Taking March and April together, compared with the same two months in 2025 (to cancel out any impact of Easter): total UK footfall decreased by 3.9%; high street footfall decreased by 3.3%; retail park footfall decreased by 3.0%; and shopping centre footfall decreased by 3.5%.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), says: “Even after correcting for Easter, April was still a weak month for footfall. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East pushed consumer confidence to new lows, prompting consumers to make fewer trips to the shops. While footfall declined in every city, London proved reasonably resilient during the tube strikes, as people adapted, finding alternative routes into the capital.
“Retailers will be hoping that a sunnier outlook and major sporting events, like the World Cup, help reverse this trend in the months ahead. However, the prospect of higher inflation due to the conflict in Middle East could limit consumer appetite for shopping. While Government can’t change the situation in the Middle East, it can help limit inflationary risks by addressing some domestic cost pressures on business. This includes reducing non-commodity charges, levies and taxes which account for up to 65% of a typical business energy bill.”
Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic, comments: “April delivered a sobering reminder of how fragile the recovery in retail footfall remains. Total UK retail visits fell -10.7% YoY, marking the weakest performance in over five years.
"While disappointing, the scale of the decline needs to be viewed in context. Easter fell earlier this year, pulling a significant volume of activity into March and leaving April with a much tougher comparison. Looked at together, March and April combined were down -3.9% – still negative, but far less severe than April alone suggests.
“With consumer confidence falling, and ongoing cost of living pressures, shoppers are becoming more selective – making fewer trips, but with clearer intent when they do. In a month where even a ‘good’ result would likely have remained negative, it’s difficult not to be disappointed.
"That said, opportunity remains. Those who are out and about are often there to spend, making every shopper more valuable. After the country headed to the polls, retailers would do well to remember that shoppers will continue to vote with their feet – and winning their custom will depend on delivering value, relevance and good reasons to return.”
