A combination of unseasonably sunny weather and the later timing of the Easter break fuelled a sharp increase in retail sales across the UK in April, as consumers headed outdoors and opened their wallets for home and garden improvements, new data shows.
Retail spending rose by 7% year-on-year last month, according to figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and consultancy KPMG — a notable jump from the modest 1.1% increase recorded in March. While the rise was partly driven by Easter falling in April this year rather than March, underlying momentum was evident, with spending in March and April together up 4.3% compared with the same period in 2023.
Separate figures from Barclays echoed the upbeat picture. The bank, which tracks almost 40% of the UK’s credit and debit card transactions, said card spending rose 4.5% in April — the fastest growth since June 2023. The biggest lift came from the leisure sector, with pub, bar and club spending up 6.6%, the largest increase in 16 months.
The good weather also gave garden retailers a spring boost, with spending at garden centres surging 25% in April. DIY sales rose by 4%, likely bolstered by new homeowners preparing for summer renovations following a wave of property completions ahead of the end of the stamp duty holiday.
The Met Office confirmed that April 2025 was the sunniest on record, helping drive sales in both food and non-food sectors. The BRC and KPMG data shows food sales rose by 8.2% year-on-year, outperforming the three-month average growth of 3.9%, while non-food sales jumped 6.1%, also well ahead of the three-month trend.
Official data from the Office for National Statistics supports this robust picture, with retail sales up 1.6% in Q1 2025 — a clear sign that consumer activity remains resilient despite lingering economic uncertainties.
“The sunniest April on record brought with it a boost to retail sales,” said Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC. “While the stronger performance was partially a result of Easter falling in April this year, the sunshine prompted strong consumer spending across the board.”
Barclays also noted that despite geopolitical concerns — particularly the ongoing uncertainty surrounding global trade and tariffs — UK consumers remain optimistic. In April, 72% of those surveyed expressed concern about the financial impact of President Trump’s tariff policies, but that anxiety was partly eased by a US-UK trade deal which reduced tariffs on metal and car exports while retaining a 10% blanket rate.
“While the world continues to grapple with unprecedented levels of trade uncertainty, UK economic sentiment has been surprisingly positive recently, supported by a resilient consumer,” said Julien Lafargue, chief market strategist at Barclays Private Bank. “The recent interest rate cut from the Bank of England, alongside improved trade clarity, should support further momentum in the months ahead.”
Lafargue cautioned, however, that despite the current uplift in spending, broader economic growth may remain subdued, particularly as the global labour market softens and economic headwinds persist internationally.
Nonetheless, April’s surge in consumer activity offers retailers a welcome reprieve, raising hopes that improving weather and falling interest rates could help sustain spending into the summer.
