Footfall across all shopping destinations in the UK inched up marginally last week due to a combination of mandatory face masks in stores and the unpredictable weather conditions.

Footfall across the UK grew just 2.8% last week, compared with a 4.4% rise the previous week. 

In England, where the new face mask regulations came into force on July 24, footfall rose just 2.5% in all destinations, compared with 4% in other countries, meaning the new rule may be a slight deterrent for English customers.

In Scotland, where the rule has been in place for several weeks, footfall across all destinations rose 4.7% week-on-week, with shoppers now used to the idea. 

Springboard insights director Diane Werhle said: “The first week of the mandatory wearing of face coverings in retail stores in England did not deliver the hoped-for uplift in footfall with a rise over the week across the UK that was virtually half of that in the week before.”

While retailers have confirmed that customers are generally complying with the new rules, hopes that face coverings would bring customers back to stores feeling safer were proved wrong.

High streets winning

High streets fared the best in across the UK despite the changeable weather, rising 4.3% overall, compared with 1.2% and 1.4 rises week on week in shopping centres and retail parks respectively.

UK high streets saw a 15.7% decline in footfall week on week on Monday when the rain hit, but subsequent days fared better as the weather improved. From Tuesday to Saturday, high street footfall on average was up 7.9% compared to the previous week.

Shopping centres and retail parks only saw a 2.3% and 1.8% increase in footfall week on week from Tuesday to Saturday as shoppers favoured outdoor spaces.

Wales saw the most significant uplift in those five days with footfall numbers up 14.8% week on week, compared to 7.1% in England.

High streets may be further buoyed next week by the introduction of the government’s ‘eat out to help out’ scheme due to the number of restaurants and bars taking part on UK high streets.

A third below last year

Footfall across each region is still on average around a third below what it was at the same point last year, averaging a 37.6% decline. 

As expected, retail parks lead the way, as more customers visit the essential retailers found there including grocery and pet stores. UK retail park footfall is down 18.7% compared with 2019, with Northern Irish retail parks down just 4.2%.

High streets and shopping centres, however, have largely seen a stagnation of footfall numbers at around a 40% decline year on year. 

Again, Northern Irish destinations have fared the best, averaging a 29.7% decrease in footfall compared with the same week last year. This may be due to the relaxed restrictions in the region, which allowed all stores and services such as tattoo parlours, hairdressers and beauty salons to reopen from mid-July.

In the rest of the UK, the eat out to help out scheme and the forecast good weather will hopefully see the return of more shoppers to high streets in the next few weeks.