According to Springboard, the retail footfall numbers in the UK for the month of November have shown a widening gap compared to 2019, with a deficit of 11.1% compared to October’s -9.8%. This decline in footfall can be attributed to consumers holding out for cheaper discounts at the end of December due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
In comparison to 2021, footfall in November only saw a modest increase of 4.3%, a significant drop from the +15.6% uplift seen in July. Broken down by specific locations, high street footfall decreased by 12.4% compared to October, while shopping centre footfall dipped by 17.3% and retail park footfall saw a more modest decline of 3%.
Springboard explains that the decline in footfall in smaller malls can be attributed to store closures that occurred before the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as landlords cutting back on investment due to lackluster performance. On the other hand, many high streets have invested heavily in marketing and seasonal transformations to attract visitors amidst the challenges of hybrid working.
Comparing footfall to 2021, high streets saw a 5.6% increase, while shopping centres saw a 5% increase and retail parks experienced a 0.7% uplift. The last week of November saw a 3.2% increase in footfall compared to the previous week, driven by a healthy boost of 11.7% on Black Friday. However, the previous weeks only saw marginal increases, with a significant drop of 7.5% in the first week of the month.
Springboard predicts that following Black Friday, there will be a lull in footfall in the upcoming weeks, which aligns with patterns observed in previous years. Additionally, footfall in the week prior to Christmas is expected to be muted as shoppers wait for the last week to take advantage of last-minute discounts.
Overall, the retail footfall numbers in the UK for November have shown a decline compared to previous months and 2019. Consumers are more cautious with their spending due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and are waiting for better discounts closer to the end of December.
Useful links:
1. Springboard – Official website of Springboard, a provider of footfall and customer counting data.
2. The Guardian – A news article from The Guardian discussing the decline in UK retail footfall in November.
