December footfall down 2.5% after Black Friday brought Christmas forward
UK footfall declined by 2.5% in December after Black Friday and the subsequent Cyber Monday brought the Christmas trading period forward.
The figures from retail intelligence firm Springboard show that high street and shopping centre footfall dropped by 3.5% and 2.1% respectively.
Meanwhile footfall in retail parks edged down 0.5%.
Footfall in the third and fourth weeks of December declined by 6.1%. This was nearly three times as large as the 2.2% drop in the same weeks in the previous year.
Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard, said the reasons for the decline were varied but reflected the low levels of consumer confidence that have been ongoing during the last three years.
She added: “Today’s rather circumspect consumer was clearly demonstrating considered restraint towards their lifestyle and spend decisions over the Christmas period. The growing climate change movement and increased consumer concerns around waste and sustainability is likely to have further limited trips to destinations to make non-essential purchases, thereby diluting footfall even further.”
Photo by Georgia Hawkins
