Shoppers return as economy strengthens
Retail footfall in March was 1.8% higher than a year ago, significantly up on the 2.9% fall in February and above the three-month average of 0.4%. Footfall on the high street was 2.6% higher than the previous year for March – the largest rise in 11 months.
The latest figures from the British Retail Consortium show that out-of-town retail saw the greatest rise, 3% higher than a year ago, while footfall in shopping centres was down 0.5% on the previous year.
All regions and countries, with the exception of the West Midlands (-0.4%), the south west (-0.8%), Wales (-2.7%) and Scotland (-2.1%), reported positive footfall.
Helen Dickinson, director General of the BRC, said: “These are strong results. They confirm what retailers have been reporting to us, that a combination of good pricing and promotions, with well-received new ranges, has led to a significant increase in shoppers on the high street and in out-of-town shopping centres.
“Fashion and footwear have performed particularly strongly. Retailers have pitched their new collections well, encouraging people to visit shops and update their wardrobes. This has been especially obvious on the high street.
“With the shift in Easter to April this year, it will be important to look at April’s results as well to understand the full footfall picture. Retailers will be working hard to support this positive trend and encourage people to take advantage of shopping opportunities over the Easter break.”
Diane Wehrle, retail insights director at Springboard, added: “It is encouraging that, following an improvement in the weather, footfall in our retail destinations has returned to positive growth. This indicates that improved consumer confidence, increasing house prices and lower unemployment are all starting to have a positive impact.
“Performance across the UK is encouraging, with little evidence of a north-south divide. Moreover, apart from in February when footfall dropped in every part of the UK, in both January and March there have been annual increases in the majority of areas.”