UK footfall increased by 10.4% in February year-on-year, 2.1 percentage points worse than January, new research reveals.
The latest BRC-Sensormatic Solutions Footfall Monitor shows high street footfall increased by 17.8% year-on-year in February, 2.4 percentage points worse than last month’s rate, and worse than the three-month average rise of 18.4%.
Shopping centre footfall increased by 11.7% year-on-year in February, 0.7 percentage points worse than last month’s rate, but marginally better than the three-month average rise of 11.3%.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of British Retail Consortium, said: “Growth in footfall slowed this month after the rush of Christmas shopping and January sales. Some shoppers appeared to be reining in their shopping visits ahead of the April energy price rise.
“High streets continue to show the biggest improvement, particularly compared to last year when concerns around Covid kept people away from busy town and city centres. Retail Parks suffered as customers switched back to shopping centres and high streets, particularly with the ongoing return of the office commute.”
Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant – EMEA at Sensormatic Solutions, added: “While the fluctuations in footfall are now less volatile, creating a new baseline against which to benchmark high street performance, it doesn’t mean the footfall recovery has yet fully turned a corner. Retailers are still grappling with underlying uncertainty as they try to keep pace in the context of these multifaceted challenges.
“Looking ahead, delivering value – whether that’s through ranging or by giving shoppers compelling reasons to visit stores – will remain central to turning the tide on footfall performance.”
