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Al Jazeera English1 min read
UK shoppers return to high street as warm weather brings respite from shadow of war
TL;DR
UK shoppers increased high street spending in May, aided by warm weather and improved consumer confidence. Retail footfall showed signs of recovery after a significant decline in April, with total sales up 3.4% compared to the previous year.
Key points
- UK shoppers increased spending in May 2023
- Warm weather contributed to improved retail footfall
- Total sales on the high street grew by 3.4%
- Footfall decline improved from 10.7% in April to 1.7% in May
- Consumer confidence surveys showed a rise in May
Greater numbers of consumers went shopping last month as spring sunshine brought welcome relief to retailers, which have faced a squeeze on spending since the US-Israel war on Iran.
Figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and a separate survey by the accountancy firm BDO showed a bounce-back in footfall during May, reversing a sharp decline in April.
The recovery coincided with consumer confidence surveys showing a rise in May as shoppers began to get over the sharp rise in petrol and diesel prices linked to the Middle East conflict, which began in late February.
BDO said total sales on the high street grew by 3.4% from the same month in 2025. The BRC said it recorded a 2.6% decline in footfall in May from the same month last year, but the situation had improved markedly since a year-on-year slump of 10.7% in April.
The BRC’s survey, which includes shopping centres and retail parks with high street stores, found that high streets were the winner, registering a decline of just 1.7%, while shopping centres fared worst, declining by 2.4%.
Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the BRC, said: “While total UK footfall remained down on last year, it was a significant improvement on April’s double-digit drop.”
She said soaring temperatures in the last week of May deterred many shoppers from venturing out, ending any hopes of footfall registering a positive figure.
“While the warmer weather initially encouraged more people to the shops, the record-breaking temperatures at the end of the month resulted in a sharp decline in footfall, particularly at shopping centres and retail parks.
“Only high streets bucked the trend, as those who were out and about took the opportunity to pop into their local stores,” she added.
A poll by YouGov and the Centre for Economics and Business Research this week found that in May consumer confidence rose by the most since 2021. Its index rose by 2.6 points to 104.9, the biggest increase in five years. Any score higher than 100 suggests positive sentiment.
YouGov said the more optimistic mood was the result of people’s improving perception of the health of their household finances. Their perceptions of house prices also improved last month, with their outlook on the market rising from 128.6 to 130.5.
Q&A
What caused the increase in UK high street shopping in May 2023?
The increase in UK high street shopping was driven by warm weather and a rise in consumer confidence, following a period of reduced spending due to the US-Israel war on Iran.
How much did total sales grow on the UK high street in May 2023?
Total sales on the UK high street grew by 3.4% in May 2023 compared to the same month in 2022.
What was the footfall decline in UK high streets in May 2023?
High street footfall declined by 1.7% in May 2023 compared to the same month last year, an improvement from a 10.7% decline in April.
How did petrol and diesel prices affect UK consumer spending?
The sharp rise in petrol and diesel prices linked to the Middle East conflict initially squeezed consumer spending, but shoppers began to recover their confidence in May.
