Homeware sales on the high street took a sharp downturn last week, falling 18.03% in like-for-like (LFL) terms, according to the latest BDO High Street Sales Tracker for the week ending 27 April 2025. This marks the end of a six-week streak of positive total LFL growth across UK retail.
Store sales in the homeware segment declined 19.87% year-on-year, while non-store sales, typically driven by online channels, dropped 26.82%. These figures come despite a relatively flat base in 2024, suggesting a marked reversal in momentum.
Overall, total LFL sales across all retail categories were down 3.65% for the week. While footfall increased by 1.9%, buoyed by growth in retail parks and shopping centres, high street footfall rose only modestly by 0.9%.
BDO attributes the weak performance in part to unseasonably warm weather, with temperatures hitting 27°C in southern England. This contrasted sharply with the same week in 2024, which saw cooler and wetter conditions, potentially driving more in-store and online shopping last year.
Despite the recent setback, homeware sales had previously been positive for 13 weeks in 2025, and non-store sales remained in the black for eight of the past ten weeks.
Source: www.bigfurnituregroup.com