Total UK footfall increased by 8% on a year-on-year basis in September, new data reveals.
The latest BRC-SENSORMATIC IQ Footfall Monitor shows on a year-on-year basis, total footfall increased by +8% – high streets by +12.9%, retail parks by +0.4%, and shopping centres by +17.3%.
However, total UK footfall fell by 9.8% in September compared to pre-pandemic levels, a 2.6 percentage point improvement from August.
Scotland and Northern Ireland saw the joint steepest decline in footfall of all regions at -13.4%, while England again saw the shallowest decline at -7.9%, followed by Wales at -8.7%.
Footfall on high streets declined by 11.9% in September compared to pre-pandemic levels, 1.7 percentage points better than last month’s rate, and an improvement on the three-month average decline of 13.0%.
Meanwhile, shopping centre footfall declined by 22.7% compared to pre-pandemic levels, the same as last month’s rate, and above the three-month average decline of 23.0%.
Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, said: “While total UK retail saw footfall recovery rise to its highest point this year compared to pre-pandemic levels in September, boosted in part by back-to-school trading at the beginning of the month, retailers won’t be looking at high street performance through rose-tinted glasses.
“With all eyes turning towards the Golden Quarter, perhaps with a starker air of caution given the financial turbulence seen over the last few weeks and higher energy bills starting to hit consumers from October, many are already downgrading Christmas trading forecasts amid shaky consumer confidence. And this means that amongst the usual pressures of preparing for peak, retailers will need to think hard about how they can support – and deliver value to – an increasingly cautious cost-of-living shopper during what will be a critical trading period.”
