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Diane Wehrle CEO at Rendle Intelligence and Insights joins Simon for their monthly chat about footfall trends and shopping behaviours from February to March 2025, focusing on the impact of Easter timing differences on year-over-year comparisons. The conversation explores how footfall, consumer confidence, and inflation metrics are painting a complex picture of the retail landscape with some sectors showing signs of recovery despite challenging conditions

• Footfall into stores down 5.4% overall and 4% in high streets (comparing non-Easter March 2025 vs Easter March 2024)
• Food and drink spending dropped 6.3% this March compared to a 9.8% increase last March during Easter
• Fashion sector showing signs of recovery with only a 2.7% decline, better than February's 7.4% drop
• Grocery spending decreased by 5.4% versus a 3.5% rise last March due to Easter timing
• Consumer confidence slightly improved from -20% to -19%, with better outlook on general economic situation
• Inflation dropped to 2.6% in March (from 2.8% in February), with clothing at just 1.1% inflation
• Hospitality remains challenging with high inflation at 4.22%, affected by labour costs and minimum wage increases
• Upcoming National Insurance payment increases likely to impact businesses and consumer spending patterns
• Next month's data will show the combined impact of the Easter shift and provide clearer year-over-year comparison

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