Footfall news and archive

UK retail footfall ends 2024 on subdued note

Retail footfall in the UK continued its downward trajectory in December, marking the second consecutive year of decline for brick-and-mortar retail traffic. Total footfall fell 2.2 percent year-on-year in December, though this represented an improvement from November's 4.5 percent decline, partly due to the shifted timing of Black Friday between...

Retail

UK: December footfall rises sharply as challenging new year looms

Footfall across the UK rose in December despite figures painting a picture of shifting consumer behaviour in the wake of a challenging financial year. According to MRI Software, for the five week period ending 28 December 2024, footfall was up 7.1 percent compared to the month prior, and came marginally ahead of 2023 levels at an 0.4 percent...

Retail

UK: Boxing Day footfall takes hit as retailers stay closed

Footfall on the usually bustling Boxing Day took a slight hit this year, reflecting what data specialist MRI Software said could be a “shift in consumer behaviour”. According to the platform’s figures, retail footfall was down 4.9 percent across all UK retail destinations throughout the day. This was compared to Boxing Day in 2023, when footfall...

Retail

Shopping malls see comeback in pre-holiday surge

U.S. shopping mall foot traffic delivered a robust performance in November, signalling a potential renaissance for brick-and-mortar retail that could extend into the December shopping season, according to the latest industry data. The revival is particularly noteworthy for indoor shopping centres, which registered a 6.4 percent year-over-year...

Retail

Retail sales drop in April as wet weather impacts footfall

Retail sales in the UK took a slight hit in April, dropping 2.3 percent over the period as poor weather impacted footfall. According to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), sales volumes fell across most sectors, including clothing, dropping below the previous figure of a 0.2 percent decline in March. Non-food stores saw their...

Retail

West End spend declined during festive season despite YoY footfall growth

New figures by the New West End Company (NWEC) have reflected an increase in footfall in contrast to a decline in spending, yet the company cited the festive season’s performance as “resilient”. Over the period, footfall was up 3 percent year-on-year, while spending decreased by 1 percent, driven by lower than expected domestic spending caused...

Retail

UK retail sales take a hit in December

New figures by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) have revealed that retail sales for the month of December 2023 took a 3.2 percent hit, declining from a rise of 1.4 percent in the month prior. The statistics platform noted that the decrease was the “largest monthly fall since January 2021”, at which time pandemic restrictions had impacted...

Retail

Boxing Day footfall up 5 percent in London’s West End

The festive season has rounded off on a positive note for London’s West End district, with Boxing Day footfall up 5 percent on 2022 levels, continuing the “buoyant” atmosphere seen throughout December as a whole. During the month, footfall grew 20 percent compared to November, and rose 6 percent compared to December last year. The New West End...

Retail

Retail sales fall in October as wet weather dampens spending

New figures by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) have revealed that retail sales fell in October as the wet weather impacted footfall and spending across the country. According to the organisation, retail sales volumes fell 0.3 percent over the month, following a steeper 1.1 percent decrease in September. In the three months to October,...

Retail

Cautious consumers impact retail sales amid continued inflation

New figures published by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) have found that high inflation is continuing to impact sales across the UK, as cautious consumers pull back on spending ahead of the holiday season. Over the four weeks from October 1 to 28, the region’s total retail sales had increased 2.5 percent, up from the previous year’s 1.6...

Retail

Retail sales slow in September, warm weather impacts fashion

UK retail sales slowed over the past month, as the cost of living crisis continues to ravage the nation and warmer weather impacted the sales of autumn clothing stock. Over the five weeks spanning August 27 to September 30, total retail sales increased 2.7 percent, only slightly up from the 2.2 percent in the same period last year. Non-food...

Retail

UK clothing sales rebound in August

Sales at UK fashion retailers picked up in August following a dip in July linked to poor weather, according to new data. Clothing stores sales volumes rose by 2.3 percent in August, mostly recovering from a fall of 2.9 percent the prior month, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Overall retail sales...