Fresh warning as Middle East meltdown set to hit high street stores hard

Fresh warning as Middle East meltdown set to hit high street stores hardThe timing of Easter gave some stores a sales boost, but industry chiefs have said that the conflict in the Middle East means “the outlook remains uncertain” for high street shopsCommentsMoneyGraham Hiscott Business and Consumer Editor05:00, 14 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesShopper confidence was fragile even before the fall-out from the Iran war on households (Image: Getty)The Iran war is “piling yet more pressure” on Britain’s struggling high street stores, an industry chief has warned.‌Helen Dickinson, chief executive of trade body the British Retail Consortium, said “the outlook remains uncertain” despite the fragile ceasefire in the Middle East.‌She went on: “Damage to supply chains has already been done, and rising costs - from shipping and fertiliser to insurance and commodities - are piling yet more pressure onto already stretched retailers.‌"Government must act decisively and boldly now to curb inflation by delaying domestic policies that would push prices even higher for shoppers.”Her comments came as data from the BRC and KPMG showed the timing of Easter helped retail sales grow 3.6% year-on-year in March, above the 12 month average of 2.6%.READ MORE: New fuel price warning to millions of UK motorists as oil jumps back above $100READ MORE: Average UK family 'will be £480 worse off this year' because of Iran warView 3 ImagesTiming of Easter boosted store takings, especially food(Image: undefined)‌Food sales jumped 6.8% year last month, above the average 4.3% over the past year, and boosted by families stocking up for Easter, which fell earlier this year.“An early Easter provided a much-needed boost to food sales as families came together over the long weekend,” Dickinson said. “Non-food performance was more uneven: demand was robust for computers, toys, and homeware, but clothing and footwear continued to struggle. The disruption to international travel caused by the Middle East...