Whole UK footfall elevated by 6.6% in January 12 months on 12 months, up from -2.2% in December, the BRC-Sensormatic Footfall Monitor has discovered, which lined the 5 weeks from 29 December 2024 – 1 February 2025.
General, this uptick was pushed by retail parks, the place footfall climbed by 7.9% within the month, up from 0.0% in December.
Purchasing centre footfall skilled the second highest development, growing by 7.4% 12 months on 12 months, up from -3.3% in December, whereas excessive road footfall jumped by 4.5%, up from -2.7% in December.
All 4 UK nations had a year-on-year footfall enhance. Wales had the very best with 8.5%, adopted by England with 7.4%, Northern Eire with 3.5%, and Scotland with 1%.
Helen Dickinson, chief government of the BRC, stated: “Shopper footfall acquired a great addition in January following a disappointing festive interval. Retailer visits elevated considerably within the first week of the month as many customers hit the January gross sales of their area people, with purchasing centres faring significantly effectively. Regardless of snowy climate and Storm Eowyn inflicting disruption in some areas, footfall was nonetheless optimistic throughout main UK cities over the entire month.
“Retailers need to make investments extra in shops and workers to boost the purchasing expertise for patrons and assist to develop the financial system, however the swathe of further prices from April will restrict funding and result in job losses and better costs on the tills. To drive development in communities throughout the nation, the federal government should guarantee prices are restricted in different areas. This may be carried out by delaying packaging taxes and making certain that enterprise charges reform leaves no store paying greater than they presently do.”
Andy Sumpter, retail guide EMEA for Sensormatic, added: “The uptick was boosted by a really sturdy week one, helped partly by New 12 months’s Day falling on a Wednesday, which can have prompted ambient retailer site visitors as customers bolted on further days of go away, in addition to retailers extending post-Christmas discounting effectively into January.
“Whereas welcome, after months of erratic and constrained footfall, the jury’s out as as to if January’s retailer efficiency indicators the beginning of a sustained excessive road revival or if it will likely be a flash within the pan come February.”
