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UK retail footfall moved slightly closer to pre-virus levels in March, figures on Friday showed, as the absence of Covid curbs meant the sector finally saw a ‘greater sense of normality’.
According to the latest British Retail Consortium-Sensormatic IQ tracker, UK retail footfall was just over 15% below 2019 levels in March. In February, footfall was just under 17% lower than three years prior.
The three-month average decline relative to pre-virus times is 16%.
High street footfall alone was 18% below pre-virus times in March, after being down 21% in February.
Retail park footfall recovered to move 7.3% below three years earlier, after trailing the pre-pandemic measure by 12% in February.
Finally, at shopping centres, visitor numbers were 36% below three years earlier in March. This is an improvement from a 40% footfall decline in February.
‘March saw another gradual improvement to footfall levels across the UK. As the first full month without coronavirus restrictions in England and Northern Ireland, consumers were able to shop with a greater sense of normality, spurred on by some spring sunshine,’ BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson commented.
‘While all UK shopping locations enjoyed higher footfall levels than earlier in the pandemic, shopping centres saw a significant improvement for the first time in 2022, as shoppers browsed multiple stores in preparation for the summer season.’
On an annual basis, UK retail footfall was up almost three-fold in March. Both high streets and shopping centres had double the amount of visitors they did a year earlier. Footfall in retail parks increased 57% annually.
Dickinson added: ‘There are many challenges on the horizon as consumer confidence fell to its lowest levels in 16 months. Consumers are now feeling the effects of rising living costs, increased food and fuel prices, and are also anticipating higher energy prices from 1 April. The impact on retail footfall and retail sales across both stores and online is yet to be seen, but as belts continue to tighten and prices continue to rise, it will be a difficult road ahead for consumers.’
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