- Danielle Wightman-Stone
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UK retail footfall declined by 3.5 percent in May, according to the
latest figures from the British Retail Consortium and Springboard, marking
the worst footfall decline in six years.
The figures covering the four weeks from April 28 to May 25 revealed
that footfall plummeted in every region and across all destinations, with
the high street suffered the worst decline with a fall of 4.8 percent.
Footfall also declined in shopping centres and retail parks by 3.6
percent and 0.8 percent respectively.
British Retail Consortium chief executive, Helen Dickinson, said in a
statement: “The UK experienced the worst footfall figures in six years,
with declines in every region, and across high streets, retail parks and
shopping centres. This reflects our recent sales data, which showed the
largest drop in retail sale on record. The colder weather, as well as
ongoing political and economic uncertainty, made many consumers think twice
before heading out to the shops this May.
“While consumers stayed away from the shops this May, retailers still
had to pay the full cost of Business Rates, which are levied regardless of
whether a store makes a penny at the till. These rising costs are making
many retailers rethink investment decisions, as well as contributing to
store closures up and down the country. The Government must act to reform
this anachronistic tax system or it will be the consumers who suffer the
shuttered windows at their local shopping locations.”
The figures also revealed that footfall worsened across all parts of the
day, but the most significant drop occurred post 5pm, moving from a rise of
1.9 percent in May last year to a decline of 4.5 percent this year.
Diane Wehrle, Springboard marketing and insights director, added: “The
-3.5 percent drop in footfall in UK bricks and mortar destinations in May
is a poor result and is consistent with the drop in sales for the month.
However, we should note the year on year comparisons are off the back of a
particularly strong result in May last year of -0.4 percent which was
boosted by warm weather and special events and followed on from a
challenging April marred by bad weather and loss of seasonal sales due to
the early March Easter.
“It is really important to note the longer term trend, with footfall
declining by just -1.1 percent over the five-month period since January.
This a much-improved position on the drop of -2.4 percent over the same
five-month period last year, showing us that the reduction in customers
visiting retail destinations this year has slowed, a more positive result
than might have been expected.”
