UK retail sales fell in April as the later timing of Easter distorted year-on-year comparisons and weak consumer confidence weighed on discretionary spending, new BRC research claims.

Total retail sales declined three per cent year on year in the four weeks to 2 May 2026, according to the latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor.

The fall compares with growth of 7 per cent in April 2025 and was below the 12-month average growth rate of 1.8 per cent.

However, the British Retail Consortium said the shift in the timing of Easter had significantly affected the figures. This year, the run-up to Easter fell into March, while last year it was captured in April.

When March and April are taken together to account for the calendar distortion, total UK retail sales rose 1.5 per cent year on year.

Food sales fell 2.5 per cent in April, against growth of 8.2 per cent in the same month last year, and below the 12-month average growth rate of 3.5 per cent.

Non-food sales dropped 3.3 per cent year on year, compared with growth of 6.1 per cent in April 2025. In-store non-food sales declined four per cent, while online non-food sales fell 2.3 per cent.

The proportion of non-food items bought online rose slightly to 37.9 per cent, up from 37.4 per cent a year earlier and above the 12-month average of 37.5 per cent.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said April’s drop was largely driven by the Easter shift, but warned that weaker consumer confidence had also affected spending.

“April’s sales fall was largely driven by the Easter shift, with food hit hardest,” she said.

“But weak consumer confidence also played a role as fears about the Middle East conflict driving up living costs led shoppers to rein in.

“Big-ticket purchases fell, with the recent recovery in furniture losing steam, and uncertainty around summer holidays hitting discretionary spend.”

Dickinson said retailers were hoping the World Cup would provide some uplift, with early signs of demand for TVs and sound systems beginning to build.

However, she urged the government to take action on domestic cost pressures, including energy charges, packaging taxes and upcoming changes to how the nutritional content of food is measured.

“Global events might be out of government’s hands, but costs imposed at home are not,” she said.

“Ministers must act now to curb the impact on consumers from soaring costs.”

KPMG UK head of consumer, retail and leisure Linda Ellett said April had been disappointing for the sector, even allowing for the earlier Easter shifting some spending into March.

“Bar marginal growth for beauty, health and jewellery, retail sales fell across all other categories,” she said.

“Consumer confidence has been further dampened by rising prices due to the Iran conflict, with consumers cautious about potential ongoing effects.

“As a result, the retail sector is facing a challenging start to spring and summer, but there is hope that holiday demand and the World Cup still manage to unlock spending in the weeks and months ahead.”

IGD chief executive Sarah Bradbury said the impact of food price inflation was increasingly split by income, with lower-income households feeling the effect of higher fuel costs more sharply.

She said retail value growth had slowed sharply year on year, while volumes remained fairly flat, pointing to continued budget management among shoppers.

Bradbury added that food and drink retailers should plan for further trading down, increased promotional activity and uneven demand over the coming months.

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