Footfall up 1.8% in March
Retail footfall grew by 1.8% year-on-year in March as competitive pricing and new ranges encouraged people to go out shopping.
The figures released by the British Retail Consortium and Springboard represented good news for retailers following February’s drop of 2.9%.
High street footfall was 2.6% higher in March than in the same month last year while out-of town centres delivered an even higher increase of 3%.
The BRC said the rise was largely a result of retailers offering good pricing and promotions and to new clothing ranges for spring and summer being well received by the public.
Never Miss a Retail Update!However, shopping centres fared less well with footfall dropping by 0.5%.
Most areas of the UK saw footfall increases in the month with the exception of Wales, Scotland, the West Midlands and the South West.
BRC director Helen Dickinson said: “As we saw in the sales figures earlier in the week, 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, which saw the largest rise in shoppers for eleven months, 2.6% up on last year.”
She added: “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.”
