Retail footfall drops 3.4% in June as heatwave pushes shoppers indoors
UK retail footfall fell by 3.4% year-on-year in June as record breaking temperatures meant fewer people went out shopping.
According to BRC-Sensormatic data, high streets bore the brunt of the decline, with footfall down 6.2% following a fall of 1.5% in May. Retail parks and shopping centres fared better but still recorded drops of 0.3% and 2.5% respectively, compared to declines of 0.5% and 2.4% in the prior month.
Subscribe to TRBWhile Scotland saw an increase of 1.7% in June, footfall fell by 0.9% in Northern Ireland, 2.3% in Wales and 3% in England.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Footfall dropped in June as the record heatwave kept many shoppers indoors.
“High streets saw the sharpest declines, while air-conditioned shopping centres and retail parks proved more resilient.
“While London and the South East – where temperatures were highest – registered the biggest decline, other regions performed markedly better. Scotland saw footfall rise, buoyed by cooler weather and the continued gradual opening of Glasgow City Centre after March’s devastating Union Corner fire.”
In addition to the heatwave, Dickinson also highlighted how retailers are facing bigger challenges in rising costs.
She added: “Businesses are working hard to deliver value for customers, yet higher taxes and regulatory burdens are making it harder to invest, create jobs and grow. Government action on business rates and energy costs would help unlock investment to revive our local communities.”
