Covering the four weeks 28 July 2024 –
24 August 2024
According to BRC-Sensormatic IQ
data:
-
Total UK footfall decreased by 0.4%
in August (YoY), up from -3.3% in July.
-
High Street footfall decreased by
0.3% in August (YoY), up from -2.7% in July.
-
Retail Park footfall Increased by
2.6% in August (YoY), up from from -0.8% in July.
-
Shopping Centre footfall
decreased by 1.8% in August (YoY), up from -3.9%
in July.
- N. Ireland and Scotland both saw increases in footfall YoY
and:
-
Northern Ireland increased by 1.4% YoY
-
Scotland increased by 0.7% YoY
-
England decreased by 0.5% YoY
-
Wales decreased by 1.8% YoY
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail
Consortium, said:
“As violent disorder erupted across the country earlier in the
month, footfall was severely impacted as many people stayed away
from shopping destinations. Retail parks saw footfall levels rise
in the week following the riots as some continued to avoid high
streets and shopping centres. Footfall recovered across all
destinations towards the end of the month when warmer weather and
summer sales prompted shoppers to browse their favourite stores.”
“While year on year footfall changes improved on July, they
remain in negative territory. Local communities need Government
to implement its high streets plan to help drive footfall back
into growth. The upcoming budget is an opportunity to move
forward with the plan to fix the broken business rates system
which acts as a brake on retail investment, and contributes to
our declining high streets as it leads to so many store closures
up and down the country.”
Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic
Solutions, commented:
“Despite the unrest at the beginning of the month, a strong
footfall performance in the second half of August, helped by an
easing of price inflation, fair weather and a boost from school
and bank holiday trade, saw year-on-year shopper traffic rise to
its highest level since July 2023. With
all destination types improving on July's visitor numbers,
retail parks, which potentially picked up shopper traffic from
town centres during riot disruption, had a standout month.
Retailers will be hoping that the resilience seen in
August, with footfall tantalisingly close to returning a positive
year-on-year performance, will lead to longer-term growth for
store traffic.”
MONTHLY TOTAL UK RETAIL FOOTFALL (% CHANGE
YOY)
UK FOOTFALL BY LOCATION (% CHANGE YOY)
TOTAL FOOTFALL BY
NATION AND REGION
|
GROWTH RANK
|
NATION AND REGION
|
Aug-24
|
Jul-24
|
|
1
|
Northern Ireland
|
+1.4%
|
-2.2%
|
|
2
|
London
|
+0.8%
|
-1.4%
|
|
3
|
North West England
|
+0.7%
|
-1.8%
|
|
4
|
Scotland
|
+0.7%
|
-2.3%
|
|
5
|
East of England
|
–
|
-3.4%
|
|
5
|
East Midlands
|
-0.1%
|
-4.1%
|
|
7
|
South East England
|
-0.4%
|
-5.0%
|
|
8
|
North East England
|
-0.5%
|
-2.7%
|
|
9
|
England
|
-0.5%
|
-3.4%
|
|
10
|
West Midlands
|
-0.8%
|
-3.6%
|
|
11
|
South West England
|
-1.7%
|
-6.0%
|
|
12
|
Wales
|
-1.8%
|
-3.2%
|
|
13
|
Yorkshire and the Humber
|
-2.2%
|
-5.4%
|
TOTAL FOOTFALL BY CITY
|
GROWTH RANK
|
CITY
|
Aug-24
|
July-24
|
|
1
|
Edinburgh
|
+2.6%
|
+1.4%
|
|
2
|
London
|
+0.8%
|
-1.4%
|
|
2
|
Belfast
|
-0.2%
|
+0.3%
|
|
4
|
Glasgow
|
-0.6%
|
-4.8%
|
|
5
|
Manchester
|
-1.4%
|
-2.7%
|
|
6
|
Leeds
|
-1.5%
|
-2.8%
|
|
7
|
Liverpool
|
-1.9%
|
+0.9%
|
|
8
|
Nottingham
|
-3.6%
|
-4.6%
|
|
9
|
Cardiff
|
-4.1%
|
-3.9%
|
|
10
|
Bristol
|
-4.2%
|
-7.1%
|
|
11
|
Birmingham
|
-8.1%
|
-5.9%
|
-ENDS-
Methodology:
All figures are calculated using precise shopper numbers entering
retail stores across the UK, whichever destination they are
located.
While High Streets, Shopping Centres and Retail Parks are the
main components of the Total Footfall, there are also additional
categories not included as separate indices. These include
outlets, travel hub locations, and free standing locations such
as garden centres.
