Footfall hit by record sunshine
Covering the four weeks 03 – 30 May 2026
According to BRC-Sensormatic data:
- Total UK footfall decreased by 2.6% in May (YoY), up from -10.7% in April.
- High Street footfall decreased by 1.5% in May (YoY), up from -9.2% in April.
- Retail Park footfall decreased by 0.5% in May (YoY), up from -9.0% in April.
- Shopping Centre footfall footfall decreased by 2.4% in May (YoY), up from -10.1% in April.
- Footfall rose by 0.4% (YoY) in Scotland, while all other nations experienced declines. Footfall fell by 1.0% in Northern Ireland, 3.0% in England, and 5.0% in Wales, which saw the largest decrease.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “While total UK footfall remained down on last year, it was a significant improvement on April’s double-digit drop. While the warmer weather initially encouraged more people to the shops, the record-breaking temperatures at the end of the month resulted in a sharp decline in footfall, particularly at Shopping Centres and Retail Parks. Only High Streets bucked the trend, as those who were out and about took the opportunity to pop into their local stores.
“Households remain anxious about the long-term impact of the Iran conflict and inflation and expect prices to rise over the year. By tackling the inflationary pressures on the horizon, Government can help rebuild consumer confidence, ultimately supporting footfall. The first priority must be to address non-commodity charges which are pushing up energy costs to an unsustainable level. The window for Government to act is narrowing, and any delay will only harm retailers and their customers.”
Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic, commented: “May showed a modest improvement on April’s bleak performance, but retail footfall remains under pressure. Total UK retail visits fell -2.6% year-on-year, reflecting the lingering impact of an early Easter following a difficult April. While brighter weather earlier in the month may have encouraged some shoppers back out, the late May heatwave appears to have done the opposite in the final week.
“Consumer confidence may be edging up slightly, but it remains fragile, with geopolitical uncertainty continuing to weigh on discretionary spend. Shoppers also appear to be changing how they engage with physical retail. While visits to retailers within Shopping Centres fell -3.4%, overall visits to Shopping Centres rose +1.4% — one of the few positives this month — suggesting consumers are still visiting destinations, but making fewer, more considered purchases.
“While May does little to shift the broader narrative of cautious consumers and pressured footfall, it does hint at evolving behaviour rather than outright retreat. For retailers, the challenge and the opportunity lie in converting these more deliberate visits into meaningful spend, by delivering the right mix of value, relevance and experience as we head into the summer months.”
MONTHLY TOTAL UK RETAIL FOOTFALL (% CHANGE YOY)
UK FOOTFALL BY LOCATION (% CHANGE YOY)
TOTAL FOOTFALL BY NATION AND REGION
| GROWTH RANK | NATION AND REGION | May-26 | Apr-26 |
| 1 | Scotland | 0.4% | -5.2% |
| 2 | London | 0.0% | -10.2% |
| 3 | Northern Ireland | -1.0% | -14.3% |
| 4 | East of England | -1.5% | -11.8% |
| 5 | West Midlands | -2.5% | -11.4% |
| 6 | East Midlands | -3.0% | -11.7% |
| 6 | England | -3.0% | -11.3% |
| 8 | North East England | -3.4% | -8.1% |
| 9 | Yorkshire and the Humber | -3.7% | -10.7% |
| 10 | South East England | -4.4% | -13.1% |
| 11 | North West England | -5.0% | -10.7% |
| 11 | Wales | -5.0% | -13.8% |
| 13 | South West England | -5.3% | -12.6% |
TOTAL FOOTFALL BY CITY
| GROWTH RANK | CITY | May-26 | Apr-26 |
| 1 | Edinburgh | 2.5% | -3.8% |
| 2 | Belfast | 0.1% | -15.4% |
| 3 | London | 0.0% | -10.2% |
| 4 | Glasgow | -0.6% | -6.4% |
| 5 | Birmingham | -1.6% | -10.8% |
| 6 | Sheffield | -1.8% | -10.2% |
| 7 | Leeds | -2.8% | -7.9% |
| 8 | Bristol | -3.3% | -9.4% |
| 8 | Manchester | -3.3% | -5.6% |
| 10 | Cardiff | -6.9% | -11.1% |
| 11 | Liverpool | -9.4% | -18.0% |