Benchmark

Week 39 2025 Major Retail Centres – Footfall Retail Performance Update

UK major retail centres show a moderate overall improvement in footfall retail despite a slight weekly dip. Footfall data reveal annual rises around 10% amid steady long‐term trends.

Joe Capocci

Head of Growth @ huq

October 9, 2025

2 min read

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Week 39 2025 Major Retail Centres – Footfall Retail Performance Update

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Overall Performance

Overall performance across UK Major Retail Centres during the week ending 2025‑10‑05 shows an average daily footfall of 90,500. While there has been a slight drop in week-on-week figures, the year‑on‑year outlook indicates a moderate improvement in visitor numbers. This overall result, derived from The Benchmark weekly monitor, confirms that long‑term trends remain positive even when recent performance is mixed. Robust footfall retail trends continue to underpin the sector.

Regional Analysis

Regional analysis reveals divergent trends across the UK. In England, centres experienced an average of 88,500 daily visitors. The week saw negligible change, while the year‑on‑year growth of 10% demonstrates steady performance in the region. Scotland’s retail centres outperformed with an average of 117,500 daily visitors, recording a modest week-on‑week increase and an annual rise of 11.3%. These figures underline the strong consumer engagement in Scotland. In contrast, retail centres in Wales attracted an average of 67,100 daily visits; week‑on‑week, the region experienced a sharper drop, and the annual figure shows a slight softness.

Analytical Insights

Key insights were derived using footfall data, footfall analytics, footfall statistics and footfall counting techniques, providing a holistic perspective on visitor trends.

Consumer Behaviour

Dwell time metrics provide further insights into consumer behaviour. In England, the average visit duration was 128 minutes, reflecting a healthy progression over both the recent week and year‑on‑year comparisons. Scotland again leads with an average duration of 136 minutes, where the recent data not only recorded a marked improvement in visit duration but also exhibited a sharp increase on a year‑on‑year basis. Conversely, dwell times in Wales appear less robust, with an average duration of 97 minutes accompanied by weakening weekly and annual figures.

Comment

Commenting on these results, Joe Capocci, Huq Industries spokesperson, stated: “The most striking change is the marked improvement in footfall in Scotland, which is further supported by recent Retail Industry News observations about Glasgow’s performance.”

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

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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.