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Significant Retail Footfall Rebound Last Week

William Barton shutterstock_753265135 retail shoppers shopping 725 x 500

MRI Software has published its latest On Location Index, featuring retail footfall data for week ten (Sunday 3rd March to Saturday 9th March).

2024 vs 2023: +12.4%

Week-on-week: +6.6%

High Street: 

2024 vs 2023: +8.6%

Week-on-week: +4.4%

Shopping Centre:

2024 vs 2023: +9.7%

Week-on-week: +6.2%

Retail Park:

2024 vs 2023: +15.6%

Week-on-week: 7.9%

Jenni Matthews, Marketing & Insights Director, OnLocation for Footfall Analytics, MRI Software:

The week leading up to Mothers Day, and two weeks out from the peak trading week for Easter, saw a significant rebound in footfall compared to the previous week and year on year. However, it’s important to note that some of the year on year rise in activity will be in response to a decline in activity experienced in the same week last year when adverse weather hit the UK impacting footfall in all retail destinations. 

A mild week paved the way for strong footfall across all UK retail destinations with double digit rises recorded on Sunday and Friday week on week. Footfall across all regions rose both week on week and year on year with the West Midlands, North & Yorkshire and the South East witnessing the most significant rises. 

Coastal, historic and market towns also observed a noticeable uplift in activity from the marginal drops witnessed in the week before last. Employees returned to offices and this was much more noticeable when compared with 2023 levels as highlighted in MRI Software’s Central London ‘Back to Office’ benchmark. 

Compared to 2023 levels, footfall was 6x higher last week in all UK retail destinations which may well have been influenced by shoppers heading out for last minute Mothers Day gifts or families heading out into towns and cities for leisure and hospitality experiences ahead of the special day. 

Footfall rose by +6.6% in all UK retail destinations last week from the week before with high streets leading the charge seeing activity rise by +7.9%. Shopping centres and retail parks also witnessed rises in footfall of +6.2% and +4.4%, respectively. Week on week rises in activity in all retail destinations were particularly noticeable on Sunday (+10.9%) and Friday (+10%), with much of this driven by high streets. 

Regional performance also remained strong with the West Midlands seeing footfall rise by almost a fifth year on year, followed by North & Yorkshire (+14%) and the South East (+13.3%). Historic and market towns witnessed the most significant rises in activity week on week of +10.9% and +11%, respectively. It was also encouraging to see more and more employees returning to offices last week when compared to 2023 marked by a rise of +16.3% in MRI Software’s Central London ‘Back to Office’ benchmark. This positive trend could be set to continue, and benefit retail, as more employers encourage regular office attendance, with Boots being the latest organisation asking for all staff to return 5 days a week from September. 

With such a strong week for UK retail destinations, footfall rose by +12.4% from last year; by +15.6% in high streets, +9.7% in shopping centres, and +8.6% in retail parks. This is likely to have been encouraged by the mild weather observed last week combined with the last minute dash for Mothers Day and families making the most of leisure and hospitality experiences in towns and cities providing optimism for retail destinations especially as the Easter countdown gains momentum. 

Source : OnLocation for Footfall Analytics, MRI Software

Image : William Barton / shutterstock.com 753265135 

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11 March 2024

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