Retail destinations to see Black Friday shopper surge
New figures are predicting that UK retail footfall will climb by 7.9% in the week leading up to Black Friday compared to the prior seven day period.
Data from retail specialist Springboard reveals that the biggest rise will come over Black Friday weekend, with footfall peaking on the day itself with an expected increase of 19%. Springboard is forecasting that the uplift will continue into the weekend with rises of 13% on Saturday and 11% on Sunday.
Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard, said the predicted rise will be the result of shoppers being deprived of the opportunity to visit physical stores in the run-up to Christmas last year.
She added: “The increase in shopper activity is also likely to be a consequence of the concern around potential supply issues which could mean that unless chosen gifts are purchased early then they may not subsequently be available in time for Christmas.”
Shopping centres are expected to see the biggest uplift at 24%, whilst high streets and retail parks are predicted to see footfall rise by 20% and 6% respectively.
Wehrle added: “High streets and shopping centres will be the winners in terms of the uplift in shopper numbers, as consumers make the most of the opportunity to grab Christmas presents early to ensure they don’t suffer from any supply shortages but also soak up the Christmas feel that was so absent last year.
“However, retail parks will continue to appeal to shoppers due to the compelling discounting offered by electrical and homeware retailers that is a key feature of Black Friday, together with their accessibility and free parking, which makes it easy and convenient for shoppers to click and collect online purchases.”
The anticipated uplift in shopper numbers means that over the whole three day period, footfall is forecast to be 107.5% higher than on the same three days in 2020, but 14.4% lower than two years ago,
