England win at Euro could 'bring footfall home'

Retailers are hoping that warmer weather and maybe a successful European Championships for England could bring footfall home this July, as overall footfall declined in June.

According to BRC-Sensormatic IQ data released on Friday (5), total UK footfall decreasedby 2.3 per cent in June (YoY), up from -3.6 per cent in May. High Street footfall decreased by 3.1 per cent in June (YoY), down from -2.7 per cent in May.

Retail Park footfall decreased by 0.4 per cent in June (YoY) while shopping Centre footfall decreased by 3.2 per cent. Apart from Scotland, three of the four UK nations saw a fall in footfall year on year.

Commenting on the figures, Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said, "With June failing to live up to last year’s heatwave, overall footfall declined last month compared to the previous year.

"However retail parks and shopping centres did see an uptick compared to the previous month’s washout, and footfall levels in Edinburgh and Liverpool were boosted as Taylor Swift enchanted crowds of fans. Retailers are hoping that warmer weather and maybe, just maybe, a successful European Championships for England could bring footfall home this July."

Dickinson also called on the new government to address the problems facing local communities in its first hundred days.

"Planning reform must be a priority - a fast-track planning system, which includes automatic approval in certain cases will give retailers tools to invest up and down the country. Speeding up these processes, alongside reform of business rates, will help town and city centres to thrive.

"With our high streets undergoing transformation, as properties are used more often for wider purposes beyond retail, these reforms are essential for successful regeneration of local areas across the UK and ensuring footfall recovers in the medium and longer term."

Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, stated that store visits remain marginally down compared to 2023, suggesting recovery in shopper traffic has yet fully to turn a corner.

"With home-nation hope still alive in the Euros, retailers will be hoping football – and footfall – will be coming home in July, as other major sporting events, including Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics, also provide positive opportunities to entice shoppers into store.”