Retailers boosted by rise in footfall last month, figures show

Footfall in Scotland’s retail sector was higher in April this year than it was in March, according to data from a trade association.

The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) said footfall increased by 6.9% in April in a year-on-year (YoY) basis, up from minus 6.6% in March.

Shopping centre footfall increased by 6.2%, up from minus 9.1% in March, as it also did in retail parks, which increased by 8.8% in April, up from minus 1.1 in March.

In Edinburgh, footfall increased by 8.1%, and by 7.8% in Glasgow.

The SRC said the spike in retail customers may be due to the fact that Easter was in March last year, whereas it fell during April this year.

It said the combined figure for March and April negates this, presenting a more realistic representation of shoppers across both months.

During Easter, the number of shoppers was 0.6% lower than it was during the same season in 2024.

SRD director David Lonsdale said: “Foot traffic to Scottish stores rebounded in April thanks in large part to the inclusion of Easter trading during the month as well as sunnier, drier weather.

“Retailers were hoping for a good performance over Easter after a dismal March and this welcome improvement was seen across all retail destinations, with retail parks in particular faring well.

“In a growth-challenged environment and set against a backdrop of geo-political turbulence, these rosier footfall figures provide some grounds for guarded optimism.

“Clearly, it remains to be seen how it all translates into shoppers’ propensity to spend and actual retail sales.

“What we do know is that the health and vitality of retailing in our larger town and city centres is ultimately dependent on the patronage of shoppers and buoyant consumer spending.

“As such the First Minister’s announcement of the scrapping of peak rail fares from September is an encouraging move that should hopefully entice more shoppers into our larger conurbations this autumn and provide a welcome fillip to footfall.”

Andy Sumpter, retail consultant for Sensormatic Solutions’ Europe, the Middle East and Africa region, said: “April brought a welcome rebound in footfall, with UK shopper numbers rising 7.2% year-on-year across all retail destinations.

“The combination of Easter trading and the sunniest April on record helped entice consumers back into stores. High streets and shopping centres both saw solid gains of 5.3% and 5.6% respectively. Retail parks continued to outperform at 7.5%, reinforcing their role as a resilient format.

“Looking at March and April together however, the overall picture for Scotland is more cautious, with footfall across the two months down 0.6% year-on-year.

“While this suggests that April’s gains almost offset March’s dip, it also highlights the importance of sustained engagement beyond seasonal peaks. Retailers will now be looking to build on this momentum as we move into the summer months.”