Retail Footfall In March Still Lower Than 2019 Levels

The latest Ipsos data for March (covering the five­ weeks commencing Sunday 27th February – Sunday 27^th March 2022) shows a significant decline in decline in non-food retail footfall when compared with March 2019.

- Across the UK, footfall fell by -22.9% compared to 2019 in the Non-Food sector.

- Towns outperformed cities by 8.3% points.

- The best performing region was Northern England where store visits were down by -18.6%.

Oliver Hillier, senior retail analyst at Ipsos Retail Performance, said:

“Despite footfall still being down by -22.9% compared to 2019, the unseasonably warm weather had a positive impact on footfall across the UK, with footfall up 9.9% compared to the previous month. The best performing region was Northern England where store visits were down by -18.6%.

“However, concerns that the Chancellor’s Spring Statement didn’t go far enough to protect consumers against the rising cost of living will likely impact footfall levels throughout the Spring, as many households look to cut back on non-essential items to cover increasing utility costs and the recent rise in council tax. 

“Ipsos data continues to show that towns outperformed cities by 8.3% points in March. Local high streets also remain popular, with footfall levels increasing 15.7% compared to the previous month, as shoppers look to support their local economy - a trend that has been gathering pace since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic back in March, 2020.  

The RTI, published by Ipsos, is regarded as the national benchmark for retail footfall in the UK. Unlike other footfall analysis, it is considered to be the only true measure of retail footfall, drawing exclusively on people entering stores rather than a hybrid of people movements in shopping centres, walking down high streets, commuting to work or office workers.

The RTI is constructed from the number of shoppers actually entering stores using a nationally representative sample of retail outlets across the UK, excluding the grocery, convenience and minor retail service sectors.

For more information, visit www.ipsos-retailperformance.com.

Source : Ipsos Retail Performance

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