The British Retail Consortium (BRC) observed a fall in food sales in the four weeks to 2nd May 2026, stating that the food category was “hit hardest”.
Food sales decreased by 2.5% year-on-year in April, against a growth of 8.2% in April 2025. This was below the 12-month average growth of 3.5%.
UK total retail sales fell by 3% on the year to April. This was against a growth of 7% in April 2025, and below the 12-month average growth of 1.8%.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive at the British Retail Consortium, said: “April’s sales fall was largely driven by the Easter shift, with food hit hardest. But weak consumer confidence also played a role as fears about the Middle East conflict driving up living costs led shoppers to rein in.
“Global events might be out of Government’s hands, but costs imposed at home are not. Ministers must act now to curb the impact on consumers from soaring costs. That means cutting non-commodity energy charges – which include the taxes and levies that make up to two thirds of retailers’ energy bills, scrapping or reforming the triple tax on packaging, and delaying the upcoming changes to the way we measure the nutritional content of food. The time to act is now if Government wants to protect consumers and support growth in the challenging few months ahead.”
Sarah Bradbury, CEO of the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD), said: “The impact of food price inflation is increasingly split by income, as lower income households are already feeling the impact of higher fuel costs and remain highly value focused, while higher income shoppers are more insulated, supported by elevated market interest rates and the upside for savings.”
Bradbury continued: “Retail value growth has slowed sharply year on year and volumes remain fairly flat, signalling continued budget management for shoppers. News of a temporary ceasefire in the Middle East lifted shopper confidence briefly, but with broader energy market disruption likely to feed through to food inflation with a time lag, pressure is expected to build over the next few months. Food and drink retailers should plan for continued trade down from shoppers, heightened promotional activity, and uneven demand.”
