UK high street footfall improves in May, BRC and BDO report
6 reported
According to a single-source report from The Guardian, UK retailers saw a bounce-back in footfall during May, reversing a sharp decline in April, as spring sunshine and a rise in consumer confidence provided some relief. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) recorded a 2.6% decline in footfall in May from the same month last year, an improvement from a 10.7% year-on-year slump in April. A separate survey by accountancy firm BDO reported total high street sales grew by 3.4% from May 2025. The recovery coincided with a YouGov and Centre for Economics and Business Research poll showing consumer confidence rose by the most since 2021, with its index increasing by 2.6 points to 104.9. The article notes that the figures are the latest indicator the UK economy is not faring as badly as feared at the start of the US-Israel war on Iran, though it also reports that unemployment has risen to 5% and energy bills are expected to increase sharply later in the year.
What’s reported
BRC recorded a 2.6% decline in footfall in May from the same month in 2025, improving from a 10.7% year-on-year slump in April.
BDO reported total high street sales grew by 3.4% from May 2025.
High streets registered a footfall decline of just 1.7%, while shopping centres declined by 2.4%.
Consumer confidence index rose by 2.6 points to 104.9 in May, the biggest increase in five years, according to a YouGov and Centre for Economics and Business Research poll.
The OECD predicted UK economic growth of 0.9% in 2026, an upgrade from 0.7% forecast in March.
Unemployment has risen to 5%, and energy bills are expected to increase sharply later in the year.
Key figures
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC)
Sophie Michael, head of retail at BDO
Sources: The Guardian
