Total UK footfall declined by 3.3% in July, influenced by election uncertainties.
- High street footfall fell by 2.7% year on year, contrasting a -3.1% fall in June.
- Retail park footfall decreased slightly by 0.8% compared to -0.4% in June.
- Shopping centres saw a larger decrease with a 3.9% decline from the previous year.
- England reported the most significant drop among UK nations, at 3.4% year on year.
Total UK footfall saw a decrease of 3.3% in July year on year, a trend closely associated with the uncertainties surrounding the UK election. Consumers seemingly refrained from shopping due to the political climate influencing their spending habits. This decline follows a 2.3% drop observed in June.
High street footfall experienced a 2.7% decline in July compared to the previous year, though this was an improvement from the 3.1% dip in June. Retail parks showed a slight decrease in footfall by 0.8% year on year, which was slightly higher than the 0.4% fall in June.
Shopping centres were not exempt from the downturn, suffering a 3.9% decrease in footfall in July year on year. This figure mirrors a similar drop seen in May. The political climate, marked by election activities, seemingly played a role in these figures.
Among the UK nations, England experienced the highest drop in footfall with a 3.4% decline year on year. Other nations, including Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, also reported declines but to a lesser extent.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, noted that “footfall declined for the twelfth consecutive month, failing to maintain the buoyancy seen in 2022/23.” This highlights a shift in consumer spending towards holidays and leisure as opposed to retail shopping, further exacerbated by the election period. Andy Sumpter from Sensormatic Solutions echoed this sentiment, noting the positive outlook for future store performance as the election period has ended and school holidays begin.
With the election period now over, there is hope for a recovery in retail footfall in the upcoming months.
