UK Shopping Trips Drop 3.4% in June 2024 as Heatwave Impacts High Streets
June 2024 Retail Footfall Trends and Contributing Factors
LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - The number of people visiting British shops fell 3.4% in June from a year earlier as a heatwave kept many indoors, industry data showed on Friday.
Key Findings from BRC and Sensormatic Data
The data from the British Retail Consortium and Sensormatic showed:
Footfall Changes by Shopping Location
- High streets saw the sharpest declines, while air-conditioned shopping centres and retail parks proved more resilient.
- High-street footfall decreased by 6.2% in the five weeks to July 5 year-on-year.
- Retail-park footfall decreased by 0.3% year-on-year, while shopping-centre footfall fell by 2.5% year-on-year.
Weather Impact and Additional Context
- It was the warmest June on record for England and the second warmest for the UK as a whole, according to data from the Met Office.
Upcoming Data and Industry Concerns
- The BRC will publish sales data for June on July 14.
- It has warned that higher taxes and regulatory burdens are making it harder to invest, create jobs and grow. It wants government action on business rates and energy costs.
Industry Commentary
(Reporting by James Davey. Editing by Mark Potter)
