Footfall in the UK’s retail sector saw a noticeable decline this November, continuing a downward trend from October.
- Data from the British Retail Consortium and Sensormatic High Street indicated a 4.5% year-on-year decrease in UK footfall for November.
- Retail parks and shopping centres both reported reduced footfall, with sharper declines observed in shopping centres.
- The absence of Black Friday in this year’s data, compared to last year’s, contributed to the apparent drop.
- Adverse weather conditions and low consumer confidence were identified as factors affecting shopper turnout.
In November, UK footfall dropped by 4.5% compared to the same month last year, based on data from the British Retail Consortium and Sensormatic High Street. This decline was more pronounced than in October, which saw a year-on-year decrease of 1.1%.
Footfall in retail parks was down by 1.1%, a significant shift from the 4.8% rise recorded in October. Shopping centres experienced an even steeper decline, with footfall reducing by 6.1% from the previous month’s 1.6% decrease.
This year’s figures did not account for Black Friday sales, which occurred later in November, unlike last year when it was part of the monthly data. This timing discrepancy has accentuated the year-on-year decline.
Helen Dickinson, CEO of the BRC, remarked that November’s footfall was disappointing. She attributed this to a later Black Friday and subdued consumer confidence, suggesting shoppers were cautious about visiting stores.
Andy Sumpter from Sensormatic mentioned that the lower store visits would have been a setback for retailers hoping for early Christmas trading gains. He noted that consumer confidence remains unpredictable, impacting foot traffic in stores across the nation.
Additionally, stormy weather conditions, particularly in the northern cities, further discouraged shoppers, adding to retailers’ challenges as they approached the crucial festive trading period.
Retailers hope that upcoming sales events, including Christmas, will counteract the decline in shopper numbers experienced this November.
