New data suggests that the retail industry is facing a long way back to normality with footfall still only half what it was a year ago two weeks on from when most shops reopened in England.
Figures from ShopperTrak, published by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), show UK retail footfall decreased 49.6% year-on-year during the week to 4 July. This compares to a 53.4% fall the previous week.
Footfall on High Streets during the latest period declined by 55.7% year-on-year, whilst Shopping Centres were down 56.1%. Retail Parks performed slightly better with footfall decreasing 24.6%.
On a week-on-week basis, total footfall increased 15.3%, with High Streets and Shopping Centres showing higher rises than for Retail Parks.
BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson commented: “The reopening of pubs, cafés and other hospitality businesses this Saturday does not appear to have benefited shops much, with the Saturday showing more modest growth than the days prior to these locations reopening.
“By European standards, the UK’s recovery remains slow, and while safety measures introduced by retailers have been well received by customers, many shoppers are still reluctant to visit physical shopping locations.”
Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant – EMEA of ShopperTrak, added: “Those shoppers that make it out to the High Street, Retail Parks, or Shopping Centres are more likely to be shopping with a purpose now, but with restricted numbers being allowed in, the pressure is still on.
“Retailers are serving less people, with greater overheads, so are of course looking to technology to assist with occupancy levels and social distancing. If you can free colleagues to help customers find what they want faster, they will be better utilised than standing at the door counting people.”
The figures come a day before Chancellor Rishi Sunak is due to announce measures aimed at boosting consumer demand to aid the recovery of the UK economy.
“With the first shop closures being announced, the Government must act fast to protect the three million retail jobs, as well as millions more throughout the supply chain,” Dickinson said.
Related item: High Street Spending Doubles On Saturday After Easing Of English Lockdown – see The Guardian website
NAM Implications:
- Time to accept that ‘unprecedented means unprecedented’
- People are uncertain (jobs), scared (unwilling) and/or unable (furlough transitioning to redundancy) to spend.
- 15 weeks of media saturation will take a while to undo…
- …despite politician exhortations to ‘shop til you drop’
- (unless life on another planet has been discovered…?)
