New figures reveal that shopper footfall across the United Kingdom failed to meet expectations in March, despite the earlier occurrence of the Easter holiday and school breaks providing a seasonal boost. Data released by the British Retail Consortium and Sensormatic indicates that total UK footfall rose by 2.4% compared to the same period last year. However, this increase is somewhat distorted by the timing of Easter, which fell in April during the previous year, making year-on-year comparisons challenging.
Regional Variations in Footfall Performance
High street footfall showed a modest improvement, increasing by 2% in March following a significant drop of 5.4% in February. Shopping centre visits experienced a similar uptick, rising by 2.6% compared to a 5.5% decline the month before. When examining performance across the nations, Northern Ireland recorded the strongest growth with a 4.9% increase in footfall. Scotland followed with a 3.2% rise, while England and Wales saw more modest gains of 2.3% and 1.6% respectively.
Retail Leaders Express Concerns About Consumer Confidence
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, expressed disappointment with the March figures. "With Easter and the school holidays falling earlier this year, retailers were expecting a stronger boost to footfall than March delivered," she stated. "Shopping centres outperformed other locations and cities like Manchester continued to do well but overall growth fell short of expectations."
Dickinson highlighted several factors that could impact future retail performance, noting that "warmer weather might help sustain footfall in the months ahead but, without an Easter uplift in April, momentum is far from guaranteed." She pointed to broader economic concerns, stating that "the conflict in the Middle East is weighing heavily on both retailer and consumer confidence, with further pressure on the cost of living potentially likely to hit footfall."
Government Intervention and Future Outlook
The retail leader called for government action to support the sector, suggesting that "cutting these costs would free up retailers to invest more in value, experience and their in-store offer – the things that help footfall and create more vibrant local economies."
Andy Sumpter from Sensormatic provided additional analysis, noting that "without the final week's Easter bump, March would likely have remained in negative territory – raising questions over how April may perform, particularly against much stronger comparables last year." He identified ongoing pressures shaping consumer behavior, including "declining confidence, geopolitical uncertainty and rising living costs – especially fuel – are still encouraging caution and fewer discretionary trips."
Sumpter concluded with cautious optimism, stating that "March's return to growth is a step in the right direction, but the real test will be whether footfall can hold once the Easter boost passes and tougher comparisons return." The retail sector now faces the challenge of maintaining momentum through the spring months without the additional holiday boost that typically supports April performance.
