- Total UK retail footfall dropped by 3.4 per cent in June compared to the previous year, with the high street experiencing a 6.2 per cent decline in visitor numbers.
- Data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Sensormatic suggests that air-conditioned shopping centres and retail parks proved more resilient, seeing declines of 2.5 per cent and 0.3 per cent respectively, as consumers sought cooler environments.
- Scotland was the only UK nation to record an increase in overall footfall, rising by 1.7 per cent, while England, Wales, and Northern Ireland all saw declines.
- Andy Sumpter, a retail consultant for Sensormatic, said: “Exceptionally high temperatures are likely to have influenced behaviour, particularly in the South, where record heat and travel disruption made shopping trips less appealing.”
- Retail experts also highlighted that consumers “making fewer, more considered trips”, coupled with rising costs and low consumer confidence, contributed to the ongoing pressure on retail footfall.
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