Footfall decreases in November as retailers pin hope on festive season

Disappointing footfall levels over the course of November have left retailers turning their attention and hope towards the more abundant festive season, with the later date of Black Friday meaning the shopping event will now contribute to this period.

For the four weeks from October 27 to November 23, the British Retail Consortium (BRC), together with Sensormatic, reported a total drop in UK footfall of 4.5 percent year-over-year, down from 1.1 percent in October.

Footfall fell across all retail destinations, with shopping centres being hit particularly heavy, resulting in a decline of 6.1 percent. This was followed by high streets, where footfall fell 3.7 percent, then retail parks, at a decline of 1.1 percent.

In terms of regions, Wales recorded the biggest decline at 7.1 percent, followed by Scotland, for which footfall fell 6.8 percent. Northern Ireland and England recorded respective drops of 2.8 and 4.2 percent.

BRC chief executive, Helen Dickinson, said the later-than-usual Black Friday, low consumer confidence and the arrival of Storm Bert contributed to the lacklustre results, however, retailers were feeling more hopeful as they entered the ‘Golden Quarter’.

Despite this, new costs bearing down on retailers set to arrive in 2025 were areas of concern for Dickinson, who once again called on the government to help retailers mitigate the incoming impact.