UK online retail sales fall in April after March lift

UK online retail sales values fell 2.3% in April from the previous month, while official retail sales volumes dropped 1.3%.

The figures point to a weaker month for retailers after March showed growth in both overall sales volumes and online spending.

Office for National Statistics data showed non-store retailers, a category dominated by online sellers, recorded a 2% fall in sales volumes in April compared with March. The amount consumers spent online also declined 2.3% month on month.

The downturn followed a stronger March, when retail sales volumes rose 0.6% and online sales values increased 2.4%. The reversal has prompted fresh scrutiny of how weaker consumer sentiment and broader geopolitical tensions are affecting household spending.

David Jinks, head of consumer research at Parcelhero, said: "The Iran conflict didn't seem to make a dent in retail sales back in March, when sales volumes rose by 0.6% and the value of online sales climbed 2.4%. However, it hit home in April. The ONS says lower demand, variable weather and motorists conserving fuel all had an impact.

"E-commerce had a particularly lacklustre April. Non-store retailers, the ONS category predominantly made up of online sellers, reported sales volumes were down 2% on the previous month. Similarly, the amount spent online fell 2.3% from March."

Three-month view

Month-on-month retail data can swing sharply, and the ONS often places more weight on broader trends. On that measure, the picture was more stable.

The quantity of goods bought rose 0.5% in the three months to April compared with the three months to January. Over the same period, online sales values increased 2.2%.

Annual comparisons were stronger still. Online sales values were 6.6% higher in April than a year earlier, while the three months to April were up 9.3% on the same period a year before.

Jinks said: "However, month-on-month comparisons are notoriously volatile. The ONS prefers to look at the three-month pattern. These figures offered better news and revealed some silver linings among April's clouds. The quantity of goods bought is estimated to have risen by 0.5% in the three months to April 2026 compared with the three months to January 2026. E-commerce also performed well over this period. The amount spent online rose 2.2% when comparing the three months to April 2026 with the three months to January 2026.

"There were more silver linings in the annual figures. Online sales values rose 6.6% year on year, comparing April 2026 with April 2025. Looking at the key three-month indicator, the news was even more positive, with online sales values rising 9.3% year on year against the same period in 2025."

Consumer pressure

The April decline comes amid mixed signals for the UK consumer economy. Inflation eased to 2.8%, but confidence has come under pressure and retailers are still contending with cautious discretionary spending.

The ONS attributed April's softer performance to lower demand, variable weather and motorists cutting back on fuel use, suggesting household budgets remain sensitive to economic and external shocks.

Retailers with exposure to both physical shops and digital channels may be better placed to absorb abrupt changes in demand patterns. The contrast between monthly weakness and stronger three-month and annual figures points to a market that remains uneven rather than uniformly weak.

Jinks said: "As we move towards the summer, forecasting how retail will perform in the coming months is a tough call. To a certain extent, it all depends on international events and their impact on the wider UK economy. This month has brought mixed signals, with inflation unexpectedly falling to 2.8% and the Government cutting VAT on some summer attractions in response to a reported decline in consumer confidence. May's retail sales results will be eagerly anticipated.

"Ultimately, however fickle or strong key retail periods prove to be, stores with both a High Street and online offering are best protected against unexpected events. Parcelhero's report '2030: The High Street Fights Back?' has just been launched as the sequel to its 2016 publication '2030: The Death of the High Street'. The update examines the impact of eCommerce and events such as the pandemic on town centres. It concludes that the High Street may not have reached a dead end by 2030 but, in this new age of retail, will have arrived at its biggest crossroads."