Total retail footfall in the UK has witnessed a 2.3% year-on-year (YoY) decrease in June 2024 - a slight improvement from the 3.6% decline seen in May - as reported by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic IQ.  

During the period between 26 May and 29 June 2024, high street footfall fell by 3.1% YoY, a steeper decline than the 2.7% drop in the previous month. 

Shopping centres, meanwhile, experienced a 3.2% decrease in footfall YoY in June - less severe than May's 4.5% decline.  

Retail parks also saw a marginal dip of 0.4% YoY in June, showing a recovery from the 2.3% fall in May.  

Among the four UK nations, Scotland was the only one to report an increase in footfall, with a 0.2% rise YoY.  

Northern Ireland saw a 0.6% YoY decrease, England 2.6%, and Wales the most significant decline at 4.1%. 

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson stated: “With June failing to live up to last year’s heatwave, overall footfall declined last month compared to the previous year.  

“However, retail parks and shopping centres did see an uptick compared to the previous month’s washout, and footfall levels in Edinburgh and Liverpool were boosted as Taylor Swift enchanted crowds of fans. Retailers are hoping that warmer weather and maybe, just maybe, a successful European Championships for England could bring footfall home this July. 

“As the new government forms today [following the UK General Election which took place on 4 July 2024], it is vital that the problems facing local communities are addressed in its first hundred days. Planning reform must be a priority - a fast-track planning system, which includes automatic approval in certain cases, will give retailers tools to invest up and down the country.”