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Shopper footfall shot up in January following a dreary festive period as consumers went on the hunt for bargains.
Store visits increased substantially in the first week of the month as many shoppers hit the January sales in their local community, with shopping centres faring particularly well, according to the latest BRC-Sensormatic monitor.
Total UK footfall increased 6.6% year on year last month, up from –2.2% in December.
High street footfall rose 4.5%, compared with –2.7% in the prior month, with retail parks seeing 7.9% more traffic and shopping centres also up 7.4%.
“Improved shopper traffic is welcome news for high streets following a particularly difficult ‘golden quarter’ to end 2024, and low consumer sentiment to start the year,” said BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson.
“Retailers want to invest more in stores and staff to enhance the shopping experience for customers and help to grow the economy, but the swathe of additional costs from April will limit investment and lead to job losses and higher prices at the tills.”
She added government must limit costs in other areas and called for a delay to packaging taxes and business rates reform.
Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic, said: “After a dreary December, retailers will welcome January’s footfall jump. The uptick was boosted by a very strong week one, helped in part by New Year’s Day falling on a Wednesday, which may have prompted ambient store traffic as consumers bolted on additional days of leave, as well as retailers extending post-Christmas discounting well into January.
“Not even the significant disruption from Storm Éowyn was enough to dampen overall footfall performance.”
He added the jury was still out on whether January’s store performance signalled the start of a sustained high street revival or if it would be a flash in the pan come February.
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