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UK footfall growth slows in September as cost-of-living crisis deepens

Tom Bottomley
06 October 2022

The uplift in UK footfall from 2021 diminished for the third consecutive month in September 2022 to just +6.8%, from +8.6% in August and +15.6% in July, as economic strains on UK households increase.

While post-pandemic lives continue to get more back to normal, around half of employees continue to work from home for at least part of the working week, which is impacting the recovery of footfall in high streets, according to the latest data, covering the four weeks from 28 August - 1 October 2022, from retail experts Springboard.

September footfall in high streets was 9.5% higher than in September 2021, versus +13.9% in August, while it was “significantly lower” than in pre-pandemic 2019.

Diane Wehrle, Insights Director at Springboard, said: “What is evident is that it is high streets that are bearing the brunt of the diminution in customer activity.

“High streets are not only facing the challenge of inflation, but hybrid working is also impacting the recovery of footfall. With around a half of all employees continuing to work at home for at least part of the working week, activity in high streets remains significantly lower than in 2019, particularly during the Monday to Friday period. In September, footfall in UK high streets during weekdays was -17.4% below 2019 versus just -6.9% below 2019 at the weekend.

“The energy price guarantee introduced by the government has eased some of the severe doom felt by many households. However, the ongoing rate of inflation combined with the recent rise in interest rates means that from October onwards shoppers will inevitably exercise even greater discretion and be more considered in their purchasing behaviour.

“The impact on footfall and therefore on retail sales will be immediate, with it also being likely that fewer trips will be made to larger centres that incur a greater travel cost. This was a trend that Springboard identified over the previous two recessionary periods when austerity encouraged shoppers to shop more locally, however, on a positive note this may continue to deliver a greater degree of resilience in smaller more local high streets that was a key trend of the pandemic period.”

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