Shopping Centres Footfall Report: Week 2, 2025

Huq’s latest footfall report shows nuanced trends in UK shopping centres as of January 19, 2025, with mixed results across regions.

Huq Industries’ latest footfall report, reveals nuanced trends in UK shopping centre visitation, analysing footfall data, dwell time, and weekday visitation shares across over 2,700 retail centres. This comprehensive analysis offers a deep dive into the dynamics of retail footfall and shopper engagement, providing key insights for retailers and commercial real estate companies.

Shopping Centres Daily Footfall

Regional Analysis

In the East Midlands, there was a noticeable decrease in average daily footfall and a significant reduction in average visit dwell time, with the latest week recording 43 minutes. The working weekday visitation share also saw a decline, marking a challenging week for the region.

Conversely, the South East experienced an increase in average visit dwell time to 136 minutes, reflecting a positive shift in shopper engagement. This region also saw a slight improvement in working weekday visitation share, suggesting a resilient consumer base.

The North East showed a remarkable year-on-year increase in average daily footfall, although dwell time and weekday visitation shares experienced declines, indicating a complex consumer behavior pattern.

Scotland and Northern Ireland presented contrasting scenarios. Scotland had a slight increase in footfall and a stable dwell time, while Northern Ireland faced a sharp decline in footfall but a significant increase in dwell time, highlighting varied regional responses to current market conditions.

London, a key market, displayed a robust increase in year-on-year footfall, although dwell time saw a decrease. The weekday visitation share remained relatively stable, underscoring the enduring appeal of London’s retail environment despite fluctuating metrics.

Location Intelligence Insights

Utilising location intelligence analytics, Huq provides detailed insights into footfall statistics and shopper behaviour. This location intelligence data is crucial for site selection and strategic planning in the retail sector. The report highlights specific retail centres that outperformed or underperformed during the period, including the London Designer Outlet in Wembley and Westfield Stratford City in Newham, which saw substantial increases in visitation.

Market Outlook

Based on the direction of the latest data and historical trends from the same period last year, the coming four weeks are likely to see continued variability in footfall and dwell times across different regions. Retail centres in London and the South East may maintain their positive trajectory, while regions like the East Midlands might face further challenges. This forecast is essential for retailers planning their strategies in a rapidly evolving market.

Huq’s footfall report serves as a vital tool for understanding the complex landscape of retail visitation and preparing for future market conditions. The detailed footfall statistics and location intelligence provided by Huq help businesses make informed decisions, enhancing their competitive edge in the retail industry.

Partner with Huq

Track consumer footfall and spend dynamics across your store network using Huq data and compare to your own sales data. Gain insights into crucial questions such as ‘are we out-performing the market’, ‘where our similar locations for new store growth’, and ‘how healthy is this retail centre’.

If you are interested in basing your location insights to actual consumer behaviour then please connect with our team.