Why retailers suffered a ‘disappointing’ Christmas as December footfall figures revealed
Retail footfall slumps in December
- UK retail footfall experienced a disappointing December, with a 2.9 per cent year-on-year decline, according to British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic data.
- All shopping locations saw a decrease, with high street visits down 0.9 per cent, retail parks 2.5 per cent, and shopping centres suffering the largest drop at 5.1 per cent.
- The “Golden Quarter” (October-December) saw a 2.2 per cent fall, contributing to an overall 0.8 per cent annual decline in UK footfall for the year.
- Footfall decreased across all UK nations, with England and Wales experiencing the largest drop of 3.1 per cent.
- Rising bills and food costs are cited as reasons for shoppers holding off for post-Christmas sales and making fewer, more targeted shopping trips.