Shopper turnout increases in August
Covering the four weeks 02 – 29 August 2026
According to NIRC-Sensormatic data:
- Northern Ireland footfall increased by 2.8% in August (YoY), up from 2.6% in July.
- Shopping Centre footfall increased by 6.6% in August (YoY), up from 6.2% in July.
- In August, footfall in Belfast increased by 1.8% (YoY), up from 0.8% in July.
Neil Johnston, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said: “Given spiraling cost pressures retailing remains in an extremely challenging place. The trend across the UK all year has been declining footfall so shop keepers in Northern Ireland will very much welcome the increase in footfall for a second successive month in August.
“Northern Ireland was an exception this month in recording an increase in shopper numbers – up 2.8% on the same month last year – while England, Scotland and Wales were all down. Across the UK as a whole it was down 1.7%.
“Belfast fared reasonably with numbers up by 1.8% compared to last year. The Fleadh clearly brought huge numbers onto the streets and was a real boost to tourism and hospitality however the impact on retailing was more modest.
“Retailers have long said that it is important that city centres are multi-dimensional. To be vibrant they need to have more residents and office-workers, a robust entertainment offering and thriving evening economy, as well as a strong retail core. The Fleadh clearly has a role to play as part of that.
“Going forward all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses need the NI Executive to recognise that we can best build on our successes by lowering the business rate on all of those who are working to provide vibrant city and town centres. The UK and Scottish governments have done this though lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure – Stormont needs to do the same.”
Andy Sumpter, head of consulting & analytics – EMEA for Sensormatic, said: “August delivered another strong result for Northern Ireland, with footfall rising +2.8% year-on-year, making it the strongest performer of the devolved nations and an improvement on July’s +2.6%. At a time when much of the UK has struggled, Northern Ireland’s sustained growth highlights the relative resilience of its retail sector.
“Shopping centres were a particular bright spot, with retailers recording a robust +6.6% increase in visits, demonstrating consumers’ continued appetite for destination-based retail. Belfast also contributed positively, with footfall up +1.8%, providing a welcome contrast to the challenges facing many larger cities elsewhere in the UK.
“More broadly, August’s result suggests Northern Ireland continues to hold firmer ground than many other parts of the UK despite ongoing pressures on household budgets. While consumer behaviour remains cautious, a second consecutive month of strong growth will be encouraging for retailers as they look to build momentum ahead of the crucial golden quarter.”
MONTHLY TOTAL NORTHERN IRELAND RETAIL FOOTFALL (% CHANGE YoY)
UK FOOTFALL BY LOCATION (% CHANGE YOY)
TOTAL FOOTFALL BY NATION AND REGION