Shopping centre footfall on the rise across Europe
Shopping centre footfall is on the rise across Europe according to figures released by The International Council of Shopping Centres.
The ICSC Shopping Centre Footfall Survey, which included data from 336 European shopping centres, recorded an overall rise in footfall of 2.1% year-on-year in 2013, with like-for-like footfall edging up 1%.
Southern Europe, which includes Turkey and Spain, performed particularly well with like-for-like footfall rising by over 8% from 2012 to 2013. Northern Europe, which covers Norway, Sweden and Denmark, also put in a good performance with like-for-like footfall up by over 2%. Western and Eastern Europe fared less well, delivering relatively flat performances although footfall did not show a decline.
The study found the resurgence in footfall was led by specialised centres, including factory outlets and retail parks, as shoppers seek value for money.
Chair of the ICSC’s European Advisory Board Alexander Otto said: “The findings of this survey fit with our own research at ECE and it is good to see that despite all the gloomy predictions of falling footfall, the industry is more than rising to the challenge of making our shopping centres relevant and attractive to today’s shoppers.”
