UK retail footfall suffered a sharp decline in April as consumer confidence weakened amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with the British Retail Consortium warning that geopolitical tensions and inflation fears are discouraging shoppers from visiting stores and placing further pressure on retailers already grappling with rising operating costs.
According to BRC-Sensormatic data, covering the four weeks 05 Apr - 02 May 2026, total UK footfall decreased by 10.7% in April (YoY), down from 2.4% in March.
High Street footfall decreased by 9.2% in April (YoY), down from 2.0% in March. Retail Park footfall decreased by 9.0% in April (YoY), down from 2.5% in March.
Shopping Centre footfall decreased by 10.1% in April (YoY), down from 2.6% in March.
Footfall decreased year-on-year 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%. Shopping Centre footfall decreased by 3.5%.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, 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. 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."