Heavy retail promotions drives ‘welcome’ January footfall boost

Total UK footfall increased by 6.6% in January, up from a 2.2% drop in footfall in December, according to the latest BRC-Sensormatic data.

Footfall also increased across all four nations of the UK, jumping 8.5% in Wales, 7.4% in England, 3.5% in Northern Ireland and 1% in Scotland.

In the period, high street footfall increased 4.5% year-on-year, up from -2.7% in December.

Retail park footfall jumped 7.9% in January, having been flat in December. Shopping centre footfall leapt 7.4% in January, up from a 3.3% decline during Christmas.

British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Shopper footfall received a welcome boost in January following a disappointing festive period. Store visits increased substantially in the first week of the month as many consumers hit the January sales in their local community, with shopping centres faring particularly well. Despite snowy weather and Storm Eowyn causing disruption in some areas, footfall was still positive across major UK cities over the whole month.

“Improved shopper traffic is welcome news for high streets following a particularly difficult ‘golden quarter’ to end 2024, and low consumer sentiment to start the year. Retailers want to invest more in stores and staff to enhance the shopping experience for customers and help to grow the economy, but the swathe of additional costs from April will limit investment and lead to job losses and higher prices at the tills. To drive growth in communities across the country, the government must ensure costs are limited in other areas. This can be done by delaying packaging taxes and ensuring that business rates reform leaves no shop paying more than they currently do.”