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Total UK footfall fell by 10.7% in April compared with the previous year, following a decrease of 2.4% in March, according to new BRC-Sensormatic data.
Figures show footfall declined across all retail locations. High street visits dropped 9.2%, shopping centres fell 10.1%, and retail parks saw a 9.0% decrease.
Analysts attributed the sharp April decline to the timing of Easter, which fell in March this year. When the two months are combined to remove this distortion, total footfall decreased by 3.9% against 2025 levels.
Northern Ireland recorded the steepest regional decline at 14.3%. Footfall in Wales fell by 13.8% and England dropped 11.3%, while Scotland proved the most resilient with a 5.2% decrease.
Chief executive of the British Retail Consortium Helen Dickinson said: “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.”
Dickinson added: “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 the Middle East could limit consumer appetite for shopping.”
Retail consultant for Sensormatic, Andy Sumpter, said: “April delivered a sobering reminder of how fragile the recovery in retail footfall remains. Total UK retail visits fell -10.7% year-on-year, marking the weakest performance in over five years.
“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.”
