UK retail footfall improves but remains below last year - BRC

(Sharecast News) - UK retail footfall improved in August but remained below year-earlier levels, according to figures released on Friday by the British Retail Consortium and Sensormatic. Total UK footfall fell 1.7% year-on-year over the four weeks to 29 August, an improvement on July's 2.1% decline and an increase month-on-month.

High street footfall was down 3.1%, compared with a 3.8% fall a month earlier, while shopping centre visits declined 0.5%, improving from a 1.4% drop in July.

Retail parks continued to outperform, with footfall rising 1.0% year-on-year, although that was slightly weaker than July's 1.2% increase.

By country, footfall declined 2.1% in England, 1.3% in Wales and 0.1% in Scotland, while Northern Ireland recorded a 2.8% increase.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said cooler weather had helped bring shoppers back following a particularly hot July, as consumers stocked up on essentials and back-to-school items.

"Footfall improved on the previous month, though still down on last year," she said. "Retail parks were the standout performers but the overall picture shows high streets face an uphill battle."

Dickinson called for government action ahead of the Autumn Budget, arguing that lower business rates and energy costs would help retailers contain prices and support investment.

Sensormatic's Andy Sumpter said the figures suggested the pace of decline may be starting to ease, but cautioned that retailers still faced pressure from rising inflation and constrained household spending.