Weekly Wrap: UK Retail Footfall Trends: Diverse Regional Performance in Week 49, 2024

Recent data from Huq Industries reveals nuanced trends in footfall, dwell time, and weekday visitation across various types of retail centres in the UK for the week ending December 7, 2024. This comprehensive analysis provides a snapshot of consumer behaviour across major retail centres, retail parks, local retail centres, shopping centres, and high streets and town centres, highlighting the dynamic nature of the retail landscape.

Daily Footfall by Retail Centre Type

Major Retail Centres

In major retail centres, Northern Ireland experienced a slight week-on-week decrease in footfall but showed a robust year-on-year increase in average daily footfall. London maintained steady footfall with minimal week-on-week change but exhibited a significant increase year-on-year. The East Midlands and East of England both reported increases in dwell time, highlighting that visitors are spending more time per visit in these areas. The North West and South West regions have seen increases in their weekday visitation shares, indicating a shift towards weekday shopping. Read more about Major Retail Centres.

Retail Parks

Retail parks in the UK displayed significant regional differences. Scotland saw a 21.7% rise in average visit dwell time year-on-year, with shoppers now spending an average of 84 minutes per visit. The South West, however, experienced a 4.8% drop in dwell time year-on-year. The East of England showed a robust increase in dwell time, up 21.5% year-on-year, and a positive change in working weekday visitation, which increased by 6.8% year-on-year. London saw a slight decrease in average visit dwell time but an increase in footfall by 3.7% compared to last year. Read more about Retail Parks.

Local Retail Centres

In local retail centres, London marked a 6.3% rise in average daily footfall compared to the same week last year. Wales reported a significant increase in average visit dwell time, showing longer stays at retail locations. Read more about Local Retail Centres.

Shopping Centres

Shopping centres in London experienced a significant year-on-year increase in average daily footfall, showcasing the city’s robust retail health. Conversely, Northern Ireland recorded a noticeable decline in footfall. The West Midlands and South East both reported increases in dwell times, indicating a more engaged consumer base. Read more about Shopping Centres.

High Streets and Town Centres

High streets and town centres also showed mixed results. London witnessed a notable increase in average daily footfall compared to the same week last year, while Wales saw a significant decrease. Dwell times generally increased across most regions, with the East Midlands and West Midlands showing particularly strong growth year-on-year. Read more about High Streets and Town Centres.

Market Outlook

Based on the direction of the latest data and trends from the same period last year, we can anticipate continued variability in footfall and dwell times across the UK’s major retail centres over the coming four weeks.