UK retail footfall drops further in July

Retail footfall fell across the UK in July, according to fresh data released on Friday, with overall numbers dropping by 3.3% compared to the same period last year.

The data from the British Retail Consortium marked a further decline from June's 2.3% decrease, as the country faced ongoing economic uncertainty during the election period.

“Footfall declined for the twelfth consecutive month, failing to maintain the buoyancy seen in 2022-2023,” said BRC chief executive officer Helen Dickinson.

“As summer got into full swing, many people have chosen to increase their spending on holidays and leisure activities rather than shopping.

“Election week also saw particularly weak footfall, as political electioneering peaked, creating uncertainty for many consumers.”

Despite the overall decline, high streets experienced a surprising increase in footfall, rising 2.7% year-on-year - a significant improvement from the 3.1% decline seen in June.

Conversely, retail parks and shopping centres saw continued reductions in visitor numbers, with footfall decreasing by 0.8% and 3.9%, respectively.

“With the election now over, many retailers will be making decisions about how and where to invest in the coming years,” Helen Dickinson added.

“Retailers welcomed Labour’s promises to reform both business rates and planning laws - two major factors that often hold back much needed local investment.

“If Labour can address these effectively, they could help breathe new life into retail destinations.”

All UK nations recorded a drop in footfall compared to July, the BRC-Sensormatic IQ Footfall Monitor showed.

England faced the steepest decline at 3.4%, followed closely by Wales at 3.2%, Scotland at 2.3%, and Northern Ireland at 2.2%.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.