UK clothing sales fall in April as shoppers cut discretionary spending

UK clothing retailers faced weaker trading in April as changing weather conditions and cautious consumer spending weighed on demand, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Clothing store sales volumes fell 2.4 percent month-on-month in April, reaching their lowest level since June 2025. Retailers cited variable weather, lower demand and increased price sensitivity among consumers as key factors behind the decline.

The wider retail market had similarly softened, with total retail sales volumes down 1.3 percent in April following growth in March. Excluding fuel, sales fell 0.4 percent over the month.

Online fashion sales also weakened, with textile and clothing store online sales dropping 4.6 percent month-on-month. Despite this, they remained 2.1 percent higher across the three months to April.

The ONS said overall online retail spending fell 2.3 percent in April, but was up 6.6 percent when compared to the same month last year. The proportion of retail sales completed online slipped from 28.7 percent in March to 28.1 percent in April.

In a statement, European retail and consumer lead at Alvarez & Marsal, Erin Brookes said: “April was a disappointing month for retailers, with sales declining as Easter failed to generate the usual uplift in consumer spending amid growing pressure on household budgets and ongoing geopolitical disruption.”

Brookes added that “low consumer confidence continues to weigh on discretionary spending”, with retailers remaining focused on stock control, margins and merchandising ahead of the summer trading period.