Shopper footfall recovered in January compared to the disappointing Christmas, but remained low on the previous year, figures show.
Although shopper visits across the UK were down 0.6% on last January, this was an improvement on the 2.9% drop seen in December, according to data from British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Sensormatic.
Visits to high streets fell a steeper 1.9% year-on-year in January, down from the 0.9% drop seen in December, while shopping center footfall fell 0.8% in January but improved from the 5.1% drop over Christmas.
The best-performing cities were found in the north, where shopper traffic was severely affected by severe storms last year, and retail parks also recorded positive growth as customers made the most of free parking to shop in person during the January sales.
Scotland recorded the highest year-on-year growth in footfall at 5.1%, with Northern Ireland also seeing significant growth of 3.8%.
On the contrary, footfall fell in the rest of the United Kingdom: 1.4% in England and 2.8% in Wales.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Although footfall was slightly down in January compared to the previous year, it was much better than the disappointing Christmas period.
“A rebound in consumer confidence and possible signs of a footfall recovery offer cautious optimism about some spring-like green shoots.”
Sensormatic’s Andy Sumpter said: “January offered a welcome reset for retail in the UK, where footfall recorded its best performance for five months.
“Some of this increase will have been driven by smarter spending behaviours, as consumers took advantage of new year promotions and looked for value after an extended festive period.
“However, Storm Goretti slowed activity in parts of the month, disrupting travel and suppressing visitation, a reminder that weather can play a huge role in shaping shopper behavior.”
