Homeware sales slumped on the high street ending a run of six straight weeks of positive sales.
According to the latest BDO High Street Sales Tracker, total like-for-like (LFL) sales fell -3.65% for the week ending 27 April 2025.
Homeware LFL sales fell -18.03% this week, from a positive, if flat, base of +0.89% for the same week in 2025. Store sales fell -19.87% from a negative base of -0.67% for the same week last year.
Non-store sales plummeted -26.82% this week from a base of +2.40% for the same week in 2025. Total homeware LFL sales have been positive for thirteen weeks this year.
LFL store sales fell by -3.53% this week, from a negative base of -7.69%. Non-store LFL sales fell -4.14% from a negative base of -1.89% for the same week in 2024. Non-store sales have been positive for eight of the past ten weeks, while total LFL sales and store sales have been positive for seven weeks over the same period.
Commenting on the results, BDO said: “Pulled down by negative lifestyle and homewares sales across both bricks-and-mortar and non-store retailers, this week’s result ends a six-week run of positive total LFL sales.
“This week, the UK experienced an unusually warm spell, with temperatures reaching up to 27°C in southern England, bringing to an end the warmest April since 2018.
“In contrast, the same week in 2024 was cooler and wetter, with temperatures averaging around 8.3°C and rainfall significantly above average, making it the sixth wettest April since 1836.”
Overall footfall increased by +1.9% this week thanks to healthy growth in retail park and shopping centre traffic, which increased by +3.0% and +2.9% respectively. High street footfall grew by just +0.9%. In the same week last year, footfall fell by -5.0%, pulled down by steep falls in high street and shopping centre traffic.
