Shopping centres were particularly badly hit, with footfall down 3.9% on last July, although high street footfall was up 2.7% in July, a significant increase from the 3.1% fall seen in June
Uncertainty around election week helped drive shopper footfall down for the 12th consecutive month, figures show.
Total UK footfall was down 3.3% year on year in July despite the warmer and drier weather, according to British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Sensormatic IQ data. Shopping centres felt the brunt of the decline, experiencing a 3.9% decrease from the previous July, while high streets saw a bit of a bounce back with a 2.7% increase in July, a notable improvement from June’s 3.1% dip.
Footfall decreased across all UK nations, with England witnessing the sharpest fall at 3.4%, and Northern Ireland seeing the least impact with a 2.2% drop. BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson commented: “Footfall declined for the 12th consecutive month, failing to maintain the buoyancy seen in 2022/23.” She added that the summer season had people prioritising holiday and leisure spending over retail.
The election week also contributed to weaker footfall due to heightened political campaigning and resultant consumer uncertainty. Sensormatic Solutions’ Andy Sumpter remarked: “As we approach a full year of seeing footfall yo-yo in its ongoing recovery, it’s clear the long tail of the cost-of-living crisis is continuing to rattle consumer confidence and is likely to prompt spending caution for some time to come, making each in-store conversion all the harder won.”
“With election fever now over and the school holidays now in full swing, retailers will be hoping that spells a positive outlook for store performance in the months to come.”
