MRI: Retail Footfall Surged By 28.5% Yesterday

Jenni Matthews, Marketing and Insights Director, at retail tech experts MRI Software, discusses retail footfall on one of the busiest days of the year:

"On 23^rd December, the peak shopping day ahead of Christmas, saw footfall surge by +28.5% in all UK retail destinations compared to the week before. Monitored 24/7 by MRI Software, this surge was led by a +45.5% boost in shopping centre footfall followed by a +31.1% increase in retail parks. This spike reflects the attraction of the vast leisure and retail options available to consumers especially large families buying those last-minute gifts, groceries and also looking for that experiential element to keep the children entertained. High streets also saw strong week on week growth (+18.8%) however this was over half of what was seen in shopping centres. 

"However, footfall remained 5.3% lower in high streets compared to the same date last year suggesting the cost of living pressures continue for many families. This was also reflected in modest year on year rises recorded in shopping centres and retail parks of +1.4% and +4.9%, respectively. While many are taking to the shops ahead of Christmas Day, this may well be the last splurge before a big spending freeze sets in in the new year for consumers, meaning that retailers should be taking heed of these trends to plan accordingly for a challenging start to 2025. These consumer sentiments are also echoed in MRI Software’s recent Consumer Pulse report (in partnership with Retail Economics) where 51% of shopping stated they were concerned about the rising cost of living over the next six months, driven primarily by higher energy and housing costs during the winter period."

Source : MRI Software

Image : IR_Stone / iStock / 2185925402

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