Scottish retail footfall sees ‘slow improvement’ over summer

Scottish retail footfall showed slow improvement over the summer but still remains below pre-pandemic levels, according to new figures.

In September, retail footfall in Scotland decreased by 13.4% compared to 2019, which was 1.4 percentage points better than the drop in August, but still less than the UK average decline of 9.8%, according to the Scottish Retail Consortium.

Shopping centre footfall declined by 19.7% in September in Scotland, an improvement on the decline of 20.7% in August.

Footfall in Glasgow decreased by 10.4%, 1.2 percentage points better than the August fall and in Edinburgh it dropped by 10.2%.

On a year-on-year basis, total Scottish footfall increased by 6.9%, Scottish shopping centres by 13.4% and footfall in Glasgow by 11.4%.

Ewan MacDonald-Russell, deputy head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said high street retailers are a “long way down” on 2019 trading as inflation affects customer budgets.

He said: “Scottish footfall continues to remain well below pre-pandemic trading with visitors to retail destinations down by 13.4% compared to 2019. However, that was a 1.4% increase on August’s figures, and continues a slow trend of improvement since the doldrums of the summer.

“Edinburgh and Glasgow also saw improvement, with both only around a 10th below pre-pandemic trading. However, shopping centres continue to struggle, remaining a fifth down since 2019.

“As inflation bites into customer budgets it’s clear high street retailers are a long way down on 2019 trading. That’s a huge concern as retailers face into the final so-called golden quarter when Christmas shopping bolsters businesses and as they continue to lean into their own spiralling costs crunch.

“Of deep concern will be whether Scottish ministers take the same approach as previous years and raise the business rate poundage in line with inflation – if they do, that will be a further £60 million bombshell for businesses next April.

“If customers continue to stay away from the high street that tax hike might force many retailers to have to make some very tough decisions in 2023.”