UK retail footfall falls sharply in April

Retail footfall fell sharply in April, industry data showed on Friday, hit by poor weather and the early timing of Easter.

According to the latest BRC-Sensormatic IQ Footfall Monitor, total UK footfall fell 7.2% in April year-on-year, further compounding March’s 1.3% decline.

Within that, high street footfall fell by 6.9% while footfall in retail parks was down 6.2%. In shopping centres, which had seen a marginal 0.3% uptick in March, footfall slid 7.2%.

The British Retail Consortium attributed much of the decline to the early timing of Easter. This year Easter was at the end of March, whereas last year it was over a week later in April.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: "While UK footfall was impacted by poor weather last month, this was artificially exacerbated by the comparison with 2023, when Easter was in April.

"All locations saw declines on the previous months, and nearly all major cities performed similarly poor."

Andy Sumpter, EMEA retail consultant for Sensormatic Solutions, said: "After an early Easter fuelled improved footfall performance in March, there is little doubt lacklustre levels of store visits in April will have come for a blow for many retailers.

"While a drop in traffic may have been expected, due to Easter falling early and the May bank holiday falling late, this will have been of little consolation. An exceptionally wet April also seems to have dampened many shoppers’ appetite for spending.

"However, with financial pressures starting to ease and indications of growing consumer confidence, we will have to look to May to see if that filters through to improved in-store shopping."