Footfall declines by 10.7% in April amid Middle East conflict
UK retail footfall declined sharply in April amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
According to BRC-Sensormatic data, total UK footfall decreased by 10.7% year-on-year following growth of 2.4% in March.
Subscribe to TRBThe biggest decline was seen in shopping centres, where footfall dropped by 10.1%.
Meanwhile, the number of visits to high streets and retail parks fell by 9.2% and 9% respectively.
Footfall decreased year-on-year across all nations, with a fall of 5.2% in Scotland, 11.3% in England, 13.8% in Wales, and 14.3% in Northern Ireland.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Even after correcting for Easter, April was still a weak month for footfall.
“The ongoing conflict in the Middle East pushed consumer confidence to new lows, prompting consumers to make fewer trips to the shops.
“While footfall declined in every city, London proved reasonably resilient during the tube strikes, as people adapted, finding alternative routes into the capital.”
Dickinson said that retailers will be hoping for a boost from major sporting events to help reverse this trend in the coming months, but warned that the prospect of higher inflation due to the conflict in the Middle East could limit consumer appetite for shopping.
“She added: “While government can’t change the situation in the Middle East, it can help limit inflationary risks by addressing some domestic cost pressures on business. This includes reducing non-commodity charges, levies and taxes which account for up to 65% of a typical business energy bill.”
