Election week uncertainty helps drive down shopper footfall

Uncertainty around election week helped drive shopper footfall down for the 12th consecutive month, figures show.

Total UK footfall was down 3.3% year on year in July despite the warmer and drier weather, according to British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Sensormatic IQ data.

Shopping centres were particularly badly hit, with footfall down 3.9% on last July, although high street footfall was up 2.7% in July, a significant increase from the 3.1% fall seen in June.

All UK nations saw a year on year fall in footfall, with England seeing the steepest decline at 3.4%, and Northern Ireland the smallest at 2.2%.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Footfall declined for the 12th consecutive month, failing to maintain the buoyancy seen in 2022/23.

“As summer got into full swing, many people have chosen to increase their spending on holidays and leisure activities rather than shopping. Election week also saw particularly weak footfall, as political electioneering peaked, creating uncertainty for many consumers.

Andy Sumpter, from Sensormatic Solutions, said: “As we approach a full year of seeing footfall yo-yo in its ongoing recovery, it’s clear the long tail of the cost-of-living crisis is continuing to rattle consumer confidence and is likely to prompt spending caution for some time to come, making each in-store conversion all the harder won.

“With election fever now over and the school holidays now in full swing, retailers will be hoping that spells a positive outlook for store performance in the months to come.”