September retail footfall hit by flooding across UK, figures suggest

Widespread flooding is likely to have contributed to a fall in shopper visits across all UK retail destinations last month, figures suggest.

Footfall levels dropped by 3% across all retail destinations, likely exacerbated by flooding seen across many parts of the UK during the final week of September, according to MRI Software data.

The high street led the decline with a 4.5% slump, while shopping centres and retail parks suffered less severely with 1.4% and 1.6% drops respectively.

Compared with 2023, footfall was up across all destinations by a marginal 0.1% in September, driven by a 2.6% rise in retail parks and a 0.5% increase in shopping centres, while high street footfall fell by a modest 1.2%.

September saw consumer confidence suffer its biggest setback since March, according to GfK, falling by seven points to minus 20.

MRI Software also said the sharp drop in confidence “may well” be attributed to concerns about the general economic situation over the next 12 months, with confidence sitting at minus 27 compared with minus 29 last year.

MRI Software said: “With energy bills set to rise and uncertainty around the autumn Budget, consumer caution may well increase and should be monitored closely by retailers as preparations for the golden quarter get under way.”

Jenni Matthews, head of marketing and insight at MRI Software, said: “The month was bookended with rises in activity which is likely due to many consumers visiting retail destinations in the first week of the month for last-minute back-to-school essentials, and then in the final week of the month which coincided with payday weekend.

“The three weeks in between saw footfall decline week over week as schools fully reopened and employees returned to offices.”