UK: Boxing Day footfall takes hit as retailers stay closed

Footfall on the usually bustling Boxing Day took a slight hit this year, reflecting what data specialist MRI Software said could be a “shift in consumer behaviour”.

According to the platform’s figures, retail footfall was down 4.9 percent across all UK retail destinations throughout the day. This was compared to Boxing Day in 2023, when footfall was up 4 percent, led by High Streets.

The results had followed a peak on Christmas Eve, when footfall levels were 18.1 percent higher across all destinations compared to the same day last year, “suggesting that many shoppers concentrated much of their shopping in a pre-Christmas rush”.

MRI said the lacklustre footfall on Boxing Day could also be a result of an increased reliance on online shopping, with 53 percent of shoppers surveyed by the platform stating they were to carry out at least half of their Christmas shopping digitally this year.

It further pointed to the continued closure of many key stores, including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Next, removing the motivation for customers to head into shopping districts.

MRI said it was anticipating for footfall to be stronger from December 27 onwards, as shoppers return to the streets post-Christmas to secure bargains. This period, however, could also fall in line with historical data from MRI’s OnLocation Footfall Index, which has previously witnessed a week-on-week drop averaging 20 percent following the final week of the year.