Overall retail footfall in the week leading up to Easter remained flat compared to the week before, despite surpassing 2024 levels, figures show.

According to new data from MRI Software, high streets experienced a modest 2.8% week-on-week drop in footfall, driven by a significant fall on Friday and Saturday averaging -7.7%.

MRI said this could have been due to shoppers visiting retail parks and shopping centres to gather last minute groceries and Easter treats. This was reflected in footfall rising by an average of +5.2% and +2.1%, respectively, in those locations.

When comparing the week leading up to Easter 2025 with the week to Easter 2024, footfall levels this year surpassed 2024 levels by 11.8% in all UK retail destinations.

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High streets led the charge with a 15.7% rise year-on-year, followed by retail parks (+8.1%) and shopping centres (+7.1%).

Geographically, footfall rose in both historic (+11.7%) and market towns (+10%). MRI said that central London may also have benefitted from Easter tourism as footfall levels remained 25.8% higher than in the week leading up to Easter last year.

The figures follows data earlier this month from the British Retail Consortium, which found that food sales were in decline year-on-year for April, following early Easter celebrations and amid poor weather conditions.

IGD CEO Sarah Bradbury said that due to the early Easter, “The UK grocery market was always going to face a tough set of annual comparisons in April.”

However, she explained that “there is hope” for the food and drink sector, as with easing inflation, “increased promotional activity among retailers”, and the upcoming bank holidays, “sales and volumes will surely improve”.