New figures: retail footfall
New data has revealed that UK retail footfall dropped by 75.1% in the week beginning 22 March and by 81.4% last week as a result of the government enforced coronavirus lockdown.
The figures from retail intelligence specialist Springboard also shows that the decline on each day last week from the same day in the previous week became progressively smaller as the week went on. Springboard said this was partly due to shoppers needing to restock their supplies of food and other essential items.
However, footfall increased by 9.5% last Saturday and by 21.3% on Sunday from the weekend before as people ventured out to enjoy the warm weather. Springboard found the uplift on Sunday was particularly noticeable in London and other large cities as well as in coastal towns across the UK.
With Easter being the second most important trading period outside of Christmas, Springboard has warned that this year’s Easter weekend will be unrecognisable compared to last year when the three trading days accounted for 38.5% of all footfall generated over the nine key trading days in the year.
Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard said: “It is impossible to draw any real comparison between Easter this year and Easter in preceding years – we have never been beset with such swathing restrictions that have impacted the entire economy and restricted spending so comprehensively.”
Photo by Georgia Hawkins
