MRI Software: UK Footfall Continued To Rise Last Week

Data from MRI Software revealed that UK retail footfall rose +3.3% last week, as the Easter school holidays and sunny spring weather brought shoppers back. High streets (+3.6%) and shopping centres (+3.9%) led the gains, while retail parks (+1.9%) saw modest growth.

Looking ahead to Easter weekend, activity is expected to rise, though factors like 96% of UK travellers planning to go abroad (Google Flights) and rail disruptions may shape local footfall trends. Retailers should watch closely for early signals of summer consumer confidence.

Week 15 – SUN-SAT (for the period 6th April – 12th April 2025)

Retail footfall continued to rise for the second consecutive week last week, driven by the start of the Easter school holidays in many regions and a spell of warm Spring weather. Shopping centres and high streets drove much of this uplift whereas activity in retail parks remained modest. 

A strong week emerged for all UK retail destinations last week with footfall rising each day apart from Saturday where there was a sharp decline especially in retail parks and shopping centres. This is encouraging for the first week of the Easter school holidays in some regions. The drop in activity on Saturday may indicate shoppers visiting towns and cities more so than enclosed retail destinations which is reflected in a marginal dip in high street activity. 

Given the warm spell of weather last week in the UK, it’s not surprising that coastal towns saw a double digit rise in visitor activity from the week before; historic and market towns also saw positive trends suggesting day trips out were also strong. As the regional split of the Easter holidays varies, MRI Software’s Central London Back to Office benchmark also saw positive trends week on week. 

Footfall rose by +3.3% in all UK retail destinations last week from the week before driven by a +3.9% rise in shopping centre activity followed by a +3.6% increase in high streets. Retail parks saw much more modest levels where footfall rose by +1.9%. 

All UK retail destinations saw footfall rise daily compared to the week prior with peaks recorded on Monday (+7.4%) and Tuesday (+6%). Saturday saw a sharp drop in footfall with shopping centres and retail parks experiencing declines of -7.7% and -6.5%, respectively. High street activity on Saturday also fell however this was marginal at -0.5% which may reflect the warmer weather driving visitors to local towns and cities. 

Coastal towns emerged as the clear winners recording a +10.2% uplift in footfall week on week – a clear sign that the Easter holidays have started for many. Historic and market towns also saw similar trends with footfall rising by +5% and +4.6%, respectively. 

Across the board, annual levels remained +6% higher which is to be expected given that last week’s footfall is being compared to the week when some schools reopened following the Easter break. This was led by a +7.7% rise in retail parks followed by a +6.3% uplift in high streets. Shopping centre footfall also rose but it was half of what was seen in retail parks and high streets; +3.6%. 

As we head into the week leading up to Easter weekend it’s anticipated that retail parks and shopping centres could see a strong boost in shopper activity week on week as families prepare to gather over the long weekend, however overall trends may be slightly subdued compared to last year when footfall rose by 6% week on week. Google Flights recently revealed that 96% of UK travellers are expected to go abroad for Easter 2025. With train disruptions also planned for the bank holiday weekend, travel options for many people may be restricted to local towns and cities. These are all factors retail leaders should be mindful of as the second busiest retail period of the year unfolds, and with the Autumn budget beginning to impact many businesses and consumers this month, activity over this period could indicate what consumer confidence looks like heading into summer. 

Week 15 – MON-SUN (for the period 7th April – 13th April 2025)

Retail footfall continued to rise for the second consecutive week last week, driven by the start of the Easter school holidays in many regions and a spell of warm Spring weather. Shopping centres and high streets drove much of this uplift whereas activity in retail parks remained modest. 

A strong week emerged for all UK retail destinations last week with footfall rising each day apart from Saturday where there was a sharp decline especially in retail parks and shopping centres. This is encouraging for the first week of the Easter school holidays in some regions. The drop in activity on Saturday may indicate shoppers visiting towns and cities more so than enclosed retail destinations which is reflected in a marginal dip in high street activity. 

Given the warm spell of weather last week in the UK, it’s not surprising that coastal towns saw a double digit rise in visitor activity from the week before; historic and market towns also saw strong performance suggesting day trips out were also strong. As the regional split of the Easter holidays varies, MRI Software’s Central London Back to Office benchmark also saw positive trends week on week. 

Across the board, annual levels remained relatively high which is to be expected given that last week’s footfall is being compared to the week when some schools reopened following the Easter break.

As we head into the week leading up to Easter weekend it’s anticipated that retail parks and shopping centres could see a strong boost in shopper activity week on week as families prepare to gather over the long weekend, however overall trends may be slightly subdued compared to last year when footfall rose by 6% week on week. Google Flights recently revealed that 96% of UK travellers are expected to go abroad for Easter 2025. With train disruptions also planned for the bank holiday weekend, travel options for many people may be restricted to local towns and cities. These are all factors retail leaders should be mindful of as the second busiest retail period of the year unfolds, and with the Autumn budget beginning to impact many businesses and consumers this month, activity over this period could indicate what consumer confidence looks like heading into summer.

Source : MRI Software

Image : William Barton / 737102518 / Shutterstock

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