Report Summary

Period covered: 06 April – 03 May 2025

3 minute read

Note: This report summary is one or two months behind the current month as standard reporting practice. The content is indicative only and incomplete with certain data undisclosed. Become a member to access this data or take out a free 30 day membership trial now.

Furniture & Flooring – Retail Economics Index

Furniture and flooring sales rose by xx% in April, marking a strong rebound for the category and reversing earlier sluggishness.

When adjusted for Easter timing using combined March and April data, sales increased by xx%, an improvement on the declines of xx% in 2024 and xx% in 2023.

The uplift was supported by higher housing transactions before Stamp Duty changes, warmer spring weather driving seasonal upgrades, and strong retailer promotions. Key factors that affected this performance in April:

Easter timing and home moves: A surge in housing transactions completed before April fuelled demand for staple furniture and flooring, as new homeowners sought to furnish and personalise their spaces.

Seasonal home refresh trends: Warmer weather and longer days inspired consumers to invest in spring makeovers, boosting sales of décor, garden furniture, and flooring as part of seasonal home upgrades.

Value-driven promotions: Retailers successfully enticed cautious shoppers with 0% finance offers and Easter discounts, converting pent-up demand into actual sales.

Improved stock and price conditions: Normalised supply chains and competitive pricing supported consumer confidence and encouraged both in-store and online purchases.

Easter timing and home moves

March saw an extraordinary xx% month-on-month surge in residential property transactions as buyers rushed to complete purchases ahead of the 1 April Stamp Duty Land Tax threshold rollback, the third-largest monthly rise on record.

This spike drove strong demand for essential furniture and flooring as new homeowners furnished their properties.

Retailers such as IKEA and DFS capitalised on this wave, promoting living room and bedroom furniture to meet urgent customer needs.

Despite some signs of softening, the housing market remained resilient, with UK house prices rising xx% month-on-month and xx% year-on-year to a record average of £xx.

Seasonal home refresh trends

The sunniest April since records began in 1910, with xx% more sunshine than normal, prompted consumers to upgrade their living spaces.

Longer days and favourable weather inspired seasonal home refresh projects, boosting demand for décor, flooring, and outdoor furniture.

Retail parks, where many furniture and flooring retailers are based, saw footfall rise by xx% year-on-year, part of a broader xx% increase across all retail destinations.

The later timing of Easter which fell later than in 2024, also helped drive demand.

Value-driven promotions and discounting

With headline inflation rising to xx% in April, the sharpest increase since January 2024, consumers faced tighter budgets.

However, the Furniture & Household Equipment category bucked the trend, recording xx% year-on-year deflation, the lowest inflation rate in six months.

Discounting across furniture, appliances, and garden tools played a key role in this trend. Retailers strategically deployed xx% finance offers and Easter promotions to entice value-conscious consumers.

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Furniture & Household Equipment inflation fell 0.5% YoY in April from a 0.5% rise in March, the lowest level in six months