Retail footfall ‘disappointing’ in December
Retail footfall declined across all shopping locations in December, according to new BRC-Sensormatic data.
Total UK footfall dropped by 2.9% year-on-year, down from -0.8% in November. While high street footfall edged down 0.9%, the number of visits to retail parks fell by 2.5%.
Subscribe to TRBMeanwhile. shopping centres experienced the biggest footfall drop at 5.1%.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “It was a disappointing December for retailers as footfall declined across all shopping locations, as well as in the major cities.
“In the face of rising bills and food costs, many consumers held off for post-Christmas sales, with the week after Christmas the only one to see a significant uplift.
“Shoppers were also browsing less in the lead up to Christmas, making fewer, but more targeted shopping trips, particularly in shopping centres, which saw the largest drop in footfall.”
Looking at different areas of the UK, footfall decreased year-on-year across all nations with declines of 1.5% in Scotland, 1.7% in Northern Ireland and 3.1% in both England and Wales.
During the Golden Quarter (the three months to December), footfall declined by 2.2% year-on-year. Overall, total UK footfall in 2025 was 0.8% lower than in 2024.
Dickinson said: “This marks the third consecutive year of annual footfall decline, reflecting the continuing evolution in shopping habits and the retail landscape.
“Those shopping locations which have bucked the trend have done so by creating a complete offering, making themselves a des Government fosters the economic environment needed for retailers to increase investment in their stores and their communities.”
