Footfall impacted by wet weather in February
UK footfall declined in February as wet weather discouraged people from going out shopping.
According to data from the British Retail Consortium and Sensormatic, total UK footfall decreased by 4.7%, down from -0.6% in January.
Subscribe to TRBThe biggest decline was seen in shopping centres, where footfall dropped by 5.5%, while the number of visits to high streets and retail parks fell by 5.4% and 3.1% respectively.
Footfall decreased year-on-year across all nations, with Wales recording the steepest decline at 5.8%, followed by England at 5%, Scotland at 3%, and Northern Ireland at 2.3%.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “One of the wettest Februarys on record saw shoppers shy away from in store visits last month.
“Footfall was down across all locations, with high streets and shopping centres hit hardest – a blow felt most keenly by clothing and footwear retailers.
“Every UK region saw fewer shoppers, but some northern cities, more used to wet weather, proved more resilient. London was among the weaker performers, recording its steepest drop in footfall since April 2024.”
