STORY
Retail sales in Great Britain fell in April, with the total quantity of sales volumes down by 1.3% compared with March, according to figures summarised by the House of Commons Library. The fall followed a 0.6% increase between February and March, while the total value of retail sales stood at £9.3 billion per week, down from £9.4 billion the previous month.
The briefing said sales volumes were still 1.1% higher in the three months to April 2026 than in the same period last year, and 0.5% higher than in the previous three-month period. However, overall sales volumes remained 1.7% below their pre-pandemic level in February 2020, underlining the continuing pressure on parts of the retail sector.
Food store sales increased by 0.8% between March and April, but non-food stores saw sales fall by 1.0%. Clothing stores were particularly affected, with sales down 2.4% to their lowest level since June 2025. Retailers attributed the decline to variable weather, lower demand and greater consumer price sensitivity. Internet sales averaged £2.7 billion per week in April, excluding fuel, accounting for 28.1% of all retail sales.