UK retail footfall fell 4.7% year-on-year in February, according to BRC-Sensormatic data, marking a sharper decline than January’s 0.6% drop. High streets and shopping centres were hardest hit, with footfall down 5.4% and 5.5% respectively, while retail parks declined by 3.1%.
All regions saw weaker in-store traffic. Wales recorded the largest fall at 5.8%, followed by England at 5%, Scotland 3%, and Northern Ireland 2.3%. London experienced its steepest February decline since April 2024, highlighting the capital’s vulnerability to both adverse weather and tighter household budgets.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, attributed the decline to “one of the wettest Februarys on record” and noted that clothing and footwear retailers were most affected. She urged government support through local investment and a reformed High Street Strategy, citing outdated business rates as a longstanding barrier to growth.
Andy Sumpter, retail consultant at Sensormatic, added that economic pressures, including continued food price inflation and rising unemployment, had compounded the impact of adverse weather. Shoppers increasingly opted for online convenience over visiting high streets and shopping centres.
Retailers remain cautiously optimistic, pointing to Mother’s Day and the prospect of improved spring weather as potential drivers for a recovery in footfall, provided economic and structural challenges are addressed.