Retailers suffered a disappointing December as rising bills and food costs kept shoppers at home, figures show.
The total traffic decline in the UK was 2.9 percent year-on-year, according to data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic.
Visits to high streets fell by 0.9 per cent and footfall to retail parks was down 2.5 per cent. Shopping centers suffered the most, with 5.1 percent fewer Christmas customers year over year.
The “Golden Quarter” (October-December) saw a 2.2 per cent drop, while UK footfall for the year was down 0.8 per cent compared to the previous year.
Footfall fell year on year in all countries: 1.5 per cent in Scotland, 1.7 per cent in Northern Ireland, with the biggest decline of 3.1 per cent in both England and Wales.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: “It was a disappointing December for retailers as footfall declined across all trading venues as well as in major cities.
“With bills and food costs rising, many consumers postponed post-Christmas sales, with the week after Christmas being the only week to see a significant increase.
“Shoppers were also shopping less in the run-up to Christmas, making fewer but more targeted shopping trips, particularly in shopping centres, which saw the biggest drop in traffic.
“Last month's figures capped a challenging year, with total shopper traffic reduced in 2025. This marks the third consecutive year of annual traffic decline, reflecting the continued evolution of shopping habits and the retail landscape.”
Andy Sumpter, of Sensormatic, said: “Shopper traffic increased outside of traditional peak days, showing that festive shopping patterns are changing.
“And while footfall in the UK fell year on year, in December it was the second strongest among G7 markets, a sign of resilience in a difficult business climate.”
