Benchmark

Week 31, 2025 Major Retail Centres: Location Analytics Performance Update

Week 31 shows a steady rise in UK retail centres, with overall daily footfall up by 1% and year-on-year growth of 7%. Location analytics and location intelligence data signal strong consumer engagement.

Joe Capocci

Head of Growth @ huq

August 14, 2025

2 min read

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Week 31, 2025 Major Retail Centres: Location Analytics Performance Update

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Overall Performance

The latest figures from The Benchmark reveal that UK Major Retail Centres recorded an average daily footfall of 84,600 during Week 31, representing a modest 1% increase from the previous week and a 7% improvement on a year-on-year basis. Using cutting-edge location analytics, these centres are showing encouraging footfall trends. Visitors exhibited an overall average dwell time of 117 minutes per visit. Despite a small 3.3% softening in visit duration compared to last week, the year-on-year growth of 10.4% in dwell time underscores enduring consumer engagement.

Regional Insights

Scotland led performance with an impressive average daily footfall of 112,200, buoyed by a strong week-on-week boost of 16.1% and a 10.2% annual increase. Scottish retail centres also recorded the longest on-site visit duration at an average of 129 minutes, although this figure saw a minor decline of 4.4% from the preceding week. In Wales, retail centres welcomed an average of 58,700 daily visitors, experiencing an 8.8% weekly increase and a 10.3% rise on a year-on-year basis. This positive performance in both Wales and Scotland highlights significant consumer engagement through the lens of location intelligence and footfall data.

In contrast, centres in England recorded an average of 82,700 daily visitors. While England experienced a slight 0.7% softening in footfall week-on-week, the year-on-year performance remained strong with a 6.3% increase. The average visit duration in England was 115 minutes, showing a small short-term decline of 4.2% but an 8.5% growth over the year, reinforcing the sustained consumer interest.

Industry Comment

Joe Capocci, spokesperson for Huq Industries, commented on the evolving retail dynamics: "The sharp increase in Scottish footfall paired with the recent industry developments strongly supports our view on the evolving retail dynamics now evident in key UK regions." His remarks further stimulate confidence in the sector as location analytics continue to shed light on emerging consumer trends and regional performance disparities.

The continuous improvements in footfall and visitor engagement across UK retail centres signal resilience in the retail market, with location analytics playing a pivotal role in capturing these evolving trends.

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

Day Part Visitation
Dwell Time Data
Footfall Data

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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.


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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.
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huq refreshes behavioural intelligence daily, allowing organisations to monitor changes in visitor activity, market trends and location performance with near real-time visibility.
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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.