The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) has reported a “disappointing” March, with Scottish footfall decreasing by 6.6% year-on-year, down from -0.3% in February.
Furthermore, March footfall in Edinburgh decreased by 9.0% (YoY), while footfall in Glasgow decreased by 2.5%, according to the SRC-Sensormatic data.
The declining figures can partly be attributed to Easter falling three weeks later in 2025, and thus distorting the figures.
Ewan MacDonald-Russell, Deputy Head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said:
“Scotland’s shopkeepers will have to patiently wait for Easter after footfall to retail destinations fell by 6.3 percent in March. The fall is not surprising with the shift in holiday dates, but that will be little comfort for businesses facing higher costs from rises in wage costs, business rates, and national insurance policies from the start of April.
“Whilst the figures were lower across the board there were some bright spots. Glasgow bucked recent history with a modest fall of 1.4 percent, and footfall to retail parks also held up well. Conversely, Edinburgh saw footfall drop by 10.9 percent, albeit competing against a very strong performance in 2024.
“Whilst lower footfall in March is anticipated, that does mean retailers will be looking nervously towards Easter, traditionally one of the major shopping events of the year. If the warm weather can tempt shoppers back to the high street, then hopefully a little deferred spending might be unlocked. Alternatively, if the uncertainty in the wider economy translates into nervous shoppers that will be worrying news for Scotland’s shops.”
Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, said:
“After a bumpy few months, March made for disappointing footfall as shopper and business confidence remains subdued, not helped by ongoing economic uncertainty and pre-Spring Statement jitters. With Easter this year landing in April, some of the downturn in store visits in March could have been from consumers withholding Easter spend. Retailers will now be hoping that strong Easter trading can help balance out a slow start to Spring.
“It’s worth noting, however, that there were some brighter moments for shopper counts in March – although, sadly, not enough of them to have had a material impact on the overall figures. Mother’s Day in particular delivered a standout performance, driving a +13.4% uplift in High Street footfall compared to last year.”
