Footfall dipped in May after soaring temperatures saw shoppers shunning stores as the heatwave took hold, data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic shows.

For the four weeks spanning 03 – 30 May 2026, the BRC-Sensormatic Monitor showed that total retail store visits fell -2.6% year-on-year, however this was significantly higher than in April (-10.7%).

“While the warmer weather initially encouraged more people to the shops, the record-breaking temperatures at the end of the month resulted in a sharp decline in footfall,” said Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC.

Despite improving on April, “retail footfall remains under pressure,” Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic, added.

“While brighter weather earlier in the month may have encouraged shoppers back out, the late May heatwave appears to have done the opposite.”

“Consumer confidence may be edging up slightly, but it remains fragile, with geopolitical uncertainty continuing to weigh on discretionary spend,” he continued. “For retailers, the challenge and the opportunity lie in converting deliberate visits into meaningful spend, by delivering the right mix of value, relevance and experience.”

Separate data from BDO’s High Street Spending Tracker painted a more positive picture, suggesting in-store sales grew +3.2 year-on-year last month, while online outpaced that growth, rising by +9.3%. 

“May’s sunny weather seems to have brought some temporary relief to retailers after months of very poor trading,” said Sophie Michael, Head of Retail and Wholesale at BDO. 

Attributing the boost to record sunshine, the May Bank Holidays and half term, Michael warned that the revenue boost could be short-lived, adding “the longer-term picture for retailers remains fairly bleak.”

“Already high costs may go even higher due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and increasing energy prices may also force consumers to tighten their purse strings,” she explained. “Retailers will have welcomed this month’s sales growth but must brace themselves for further challenges ahead.”