May footfall down 0.2% although retail parks benefit from improved housing market
Retail footfall edged down 0.2% in May to mark a second successive month of marginal decline.
The figures released by the British Retail Consortium and Springboard show that out-of-town locations reported the only rise with footfall 3.3% higher than a year ago. Footfall in shopping centres was down 1.5% on the previous year while high street footfall dropped by 0.9%.
BRC director general Helen Dickinson said:”This is the second successive month that footfall has eased back a touch, compared to the same period last year. However actual retail sales over the period have risen, which points to the continuing impact and popularity of online shopping particularly in non-food categories. Many retailers are increasingly adept at harnessing the internet and multi-channel innovations to get through to consumers who might not have time to travel to the shops.”
Out-of-town locations benefited from the upturn in the housing market with shoppers visiting stores to buy big ticket items for the home and garden. They also received a boost from this summer’s sporting events as shoppers upgraded their televisions in time for the World Cup and Commonwealth Games.
Diane Wehrle, retail insights director at Springboard, said: “The challenge faced by our retail destinations is continuing, with both a drop in footfall for a second month in a row, and an acceleration in the decline to 0.2% from 0.1% in April. However, the drop is a consequence of high streets and shopping centres losing out to retail parks which are benefiting from the inevitable lure of home products as house prices continue to rise. Indeed, retail parks have recorded increases in footfall in every month this year, which is levelling out at around 3% from last year.”
