Retail sales fall in April thanks to Easter timing and consumer mood

Taking March and April together and comparing them to the same months in 2025 to strip out the Easter effect, the BRC said that retail sales increased by 1.5%. Still way below the latest CPI inflation rate of 3.3%. 

The results are the latest indication of how consumers are reacting to the global uncertainty and increased fuel costs caused by the conflict in the Middle East. Once again, Easter makes it hard to make out a clear trend. 

However, there are some worrying signs with BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson suggesting that consumers are spending less in some categories. 

“Big-ticket purchases fell, with the recent recovery in furniture losing steam, and uncertainty around summer holidays hitting discretionary spend. With the World Cup coming, retailers hope it will provide a lift, and early signs show demand for TVs and sound systems picking up.”

Separate figures from Barclays showed that consumer card spending fell by 0.1% in April on the year before, the first year-on-year fall in 16 months. Retail spending fell by 0.7%, with department stores seeing a particularly strong fall of 5.8%. 

“In April, we saw consumers taking precautionary action in response to renewed cost-of-living concerns – cutting non-essential spending, building their savings, and looking for ways to reduce their outgoings. There’s no doubt people will continue to pay close attention to their budget amid ongoing uncertainty. It’s reassuring to see that the majority feel confident in their ability to manage their day-to-day spending and to make sound financial decisions,” said Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays. 

The two new releases cap a series of worrying figures for the sector. PwC recently reported the largest quarterly fall in consumer confidence since the 2022 inflation crisis, while the CBI’s latest survey of retail chains showed the biggest year-on-year decline in sales volumes in over 40 years.