UK footfall remains down, but the decline is easing

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jun 2, 2024

Retail footfall in the UK remained sluggish during May, although that's perhaps no surprise given how wet the weather was at times. The latest report from BRC-Sensormatic IQ, covering the four weeks to 25 May, shows that it was down 3.6% year on year, although at least this was better than the 7.2% deficit during April and is perhaps a sign of an improving trend.

High streets didn't do too badly in the circumstances as their decline was only 2.7% in May, better than the 6.9% drop in April.

And retail parks were even better with only a 2.3% fall compared to a 6.2% fall in the previous month. But shopping centres were down as much as 4.5% after a 7.2% drop in April. 

All UK nations saw declining footfall year on year. Northern Ireland decreased by 3% – the smallest drop of all the nations; England decreased by 3.4%; Wales fell by 5%; and Scotland was down by 5.4% – the largest drop in footfall.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Bank holidays and improving weather failed to entice customers to make in-person trips to shopping destinations. All locations did improve on the previous month while Birmingham performed best out of the major cities, showing a positive footfall trend. Retailers will be hopeful that a warm summer, coupled with events such as the European Championships and Olympics, will boost footfall across all major shopping destinations across the UK.”

Meanwhile, Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, added: “Retailers were dealt some good news in May, as footfall recovered against the month before. While no-one’s denying this improvement is starting from a low base following a gloomy performance in April, many will be hoping that this represents a turning point. 

“And with inflationary pressures easing and household budgets starting to feel a little less squeezed, along with the optimism that may come with the general election in July, many may be hoping the mood music has shifted key into something more positive. With lots of opportunities to engage shoppers and benefit from ambient trade from forthcoming major events over the summer, retailers may have just cause for cautious optimism that consumers will vote with their feet and head back to the shops in greater numbers.”