UK retail footfall declines by 4.5% in November

Unlike last year, the major shopping event fell outside the reporting period, skewing the annual comparison and exacerbating the decrease, BRC said in a press release.

High streets recorded a 3.7 per cent year-on-year decline in footfall, showing little change from October’s figures. Retail parks, which had experienced a 4.8 per cent increase in October, saw a reversal with a 1.1 per cent drop in November. Shopping centres were the hardest hit, with a 6.1 per cent fall compared to a 1.6 per cent decline the previous month.

The decline was evident across all four nations of the UK. Northern Ireland saw footfall decrease by 2.8 per cent, while England experienced a 4.2 per cent fall. Scotland faced a more significant fall of 6.8 per cent, but Wales registered the steepest decline, with footfall down by 7.1 per cent year-on-year.

“Footfall took a disappointing tumble in November, as a later-than-usual Black Friday and low consumer confidence meant customers were hesitant to hit the shops. Some northern cities also suffered particularly badly due to Storm Bert, which caused travel disruption towards the end of the month. Retailers remain hopeful that the Black Friday and Christmas sales will help to turn around the declining footfall seen through most of 2024, crucial as we enter the ‘golden quarter’,” said Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC.

“Retail not only contributes to the economy of local areas but is essential to everyday life in communities across the country. New costs bearing down on retailers in 2025, including from rises in Employer National Insurance, National Living Wage, and packaging taxes, means investment in jobs, stores, and high streets will likely be curtailed. If the government wishes to bolster footfall and the growth and investment that would come with it, it must help retailers mitigate the impact of the £7 billion additional costs they face from next year,” Dickinson added.

Andy Sumpter, retail consultant - Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Sensormatic, commented: “Retail store visits dipped in November as consumer confidence remains volatile, perhaps not helped by post-Budget spending jitters and shoppers withholding festive purchases, opting instead to shop around for the best prices or hold out for further discounting. This lacklustre footfall performance will have come as a blow for many retailers, who would have been counting on getting early Christmas trading results under their belts before the start of advent. However, it’s worth noting that these figures do not include Black Friday and the Saturday of the Black Friday weekend - tipped as one of the top busiest days for store shopping during peak trading - which will hopefully jump start seasonal shopping. Now, all eyes turn to December, where retailers hope to make up for lost ground and turn around their festive fortunes. This will rely not only on effective merchandising and shored up inventory availability, but on building the compelling and immersive experiences that bring the seasonal magic to life in-store.”

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)