UK retail footfall down 2.8% in June
UK retail footfall fell by 2.8% year-on-year in June to mark the sharpest decline since February 2014.
The figures released by the British Retail Consortium and Springboard in their latest footfall monitor reveal that high streets, shopping centres and retail parks all experienced a decline. This was the first time all three locations reported a drop in footfall since December 2013.
High streets saw a 3.7% fall while shopping centres recorded a 2.3% decline. Footfall in retail parks fell by 1% after rising by 1% in May.
Diane Wehrle, marketing and insights director at Springboard, said: “With such major political and economic news in June, it is unsurprising that there was drop in footfall of 2.8% across the UK in June, the poorest monthly result for more than two years and a marked worsening of performance since May when footfall rose slightly by 0.3%
“The results are shaped by a political and economic storm against a backdrop of rain downpours and generally inclement weather throughout the whole month. Footfall deteriorated from a 0.4% rise in the first week of June to a 4.6% drop during the week of the referendum and a 3.4% drop in the weeks following, as consumer confidence was hit, despite retailers discounting throughout the period in early season sales.”
The best performing region was Wales with a 0.9% rise in footfall. This was an improvement on the 0.8% increase in May. All other countries and regions reported a decline in June.
The West Midlands, Greater London and Scotland witnessed the sharpest footfall declines in the month.
Helen Dickinson BRC chief executive, said: “Despite today’s figures showing the deepest decline in footfall since February 2014, the same period has seen UK retail sales rise. June has seen many distractions from Euro 2016 to Wimbledon so heading out to the shops seems to have slipped down the priority list for many.
“The EU referendum will not have changed the in-store experience for customers and, crucially, the price of goods on the shelves. Now is a great time for shoppers as the summer sales begin in earnest following on from a record 38 months of falling shop prices.”
