UK retail footfall slides in April as Iran war dents confidence
By Michele Maatouk
Date: Friday 08 May 2026
(Sharecast News) - UK retail footfall slumped in April as the Iran war dented consumer confidence, according to data released on Friday by the British Retail Consortium.
The BRC-Sensormatic footfall monitor showed that total footfall fell by 10.7% year-on-year following 2.4% growth in March.
Footfall on the high street declined by 9.2% in April following a 2% increase in March, while retail parks saw a 9% drop following 2.5% growth the month before.
Footfall at shopping centres was down 10.1%, having risen 2.6% in March.
Footfall fell 5.2% in Scotland, 11.3% in England and 13.8% in Wales, with Northern Ireland suffering the biggest fall, at 14.3%.
BRC chief executive 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. 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."
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