Benchmark

UK Shopping Centres – Week 41 2025 Performance Update with Location Analytics

UK shopping centres experienced a 2% weekly decline and a 4.7% annual dip, while evolving consumer trends and location intelligence highlight shifting dynamics across regions.

Joe Capocci

Head of Growth @ huq

October 23, 2025

2 min read

Social

Share on LinkedIn

UK shopping centres are experiencing a period of modest softness, as the latest weekly data from The Benchmark indicates an average daily visitor count of 33,500 during Week 41. Overall, the centres saw a weekly decline of 2% and a year-on-year decline of 4.7%, signalling evolving consumer behaviours amid changing retail conditions.

Overview

The most recent figures reveal that despite the overall decrease in footfall, regional performance varies significantly. Location analytics and location intelligence are playing critical roles in interpreting these trends and understanding market dynamics.

Regional Performance

In England, shopping centres recorded an average of 35,100 daily visitors. Although there was a slight week-on-week decline of 1.7%, the annual figures showed a more significant decrease of 7%. In Scotland, centres counted an average of 29,100 visitors each day, with a sharper weekly decline of 8.2% but an impressive year-on-year increase of 15.6%, suggesting that the market may be poised for gradual recovery. Wales, meanwhile, continues to differentiate itself with 15,200 daily visitors, alongside a noticeable bounce in both weekly and annual performance compared to previous trends.

Dwell Time

The average visit duration across the UK stood at 105 minutes, marking a modest weekly increase of 4%, even as the annual figures slipped by 3.7%. English centres reported an average dwell time of 106 minutes per visit, reflecting a weekly gain of 3.9% even though there was a 5.4% decline over the year. Scottish centres maintained an average duration of 101 minutes, bolstered by an impressive 17.4% year-on-year improvement, indicative of stronger consumer engagement. Conversely, Welsh centres experienced shorter visits, with an average dwell time of only 20 minutes, registering significant declines in both weekly and annual metrics.

Spokesperson Comment

Joe Capocci, the spokesperson for Huq Industries, remarked, "The sharp increase in Welsh footfall, alongside notable retail industry headlines such as the recognition of a Scottish shopping centre, underlines evolving consumer dynamics across regions. This shifting landscape emphasizes the importance of leveraging location analytics and intelligence to adapt to consumer needs and regional particularities."

This update provides a snapshot of the steering influences in the UK retail market, highlighting the importance of regional variations and the role of data-driven insights in navigating the modern shopping experience.

Media: For all media and press enquiries, please contact media@huq.io

Day Part Visitation
Dwell Time Data
Footfall Data

Social

About Huq Industries

Huq Industries is the leading provider of location intelligence across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, specialising in delivering high-quality data insights on footfall, consumer behaviour, and retail performance. By leveraging advanced analytics and an expansive data network, Huq Industries enables retailers and analysts to understand and respond to market trends effectively, ensuring they are well-equipped to navigate the changing landscape of high street and town centre commerce.

Get the latest intelligence Benchmark update each Thursday!

Sign Up Now

faq’s

Frequently Asked Questions

Clear answers to the most common questions about movement intelligence, retail expansion, and location analytics.

How does movement intelligence differ from traditional market research?
Traditional market research relies on surveys, demographics and historical reports. huq's movement intelligence uses real-world behavioural data to reveal where people go, how long they stay and how locations perform, giving teams a live picture of consumer activity.
Can movement data help benchmark locations against competitors?
Yes. Compare stores, shopping centres, town centres or developments against competing locations using consistent metrics such as footfall, dwell time, catchment, visit frequency and commercial performance.
How often is movement data updated?
huq refreshes behavioural intelligence daily, allowing organisations to monitor changes in visitor activity, market trends and location performance with near real-time visibility.
Which industries benefit from movement intelligence?
Retail, real estate, financial services, government, BIDs, investors and property owners all use huq to make smarter location, investment and regeneration decisions backed by behavioural evidence.
Can huq feed our models directly?
Yes. huq data is available through APIs, data exports and structured datasets, making it easy to integrate into internal dashboards, analytics platforms and quantitative research workflows.
What markets and history are covered?
huq provides extensive UK coverage with years of historical behavioural data and daily updates. Customers can analyse long-term trends, benchmark locations and monitor market changes with confidence.