Period covered: September 24Published: October 04, 2024Read time: 1min

Footfall Monitor

Footfall Monitor September 2024: Better weather gives footfall first rise in over a year

Helen Dickinson OBE | Chief Executive | British Retail Consortium

Footfall rose for the first time in over a year as mild temperatures combined with weak footfall last year led to strong growth in September. It was neither too hot nor too cold for customers, leaving retailers in the sweet spot for additional shopping trips. This compared positively to last year when the intense heatwave caused many people to stay home and delay purchases of autumnal clothes and products. Retail parks continued to perform particularly well as the increased rain drove some people towards shopping areas with nearby parking.

Andy Sumpter | Retail Consultant – EMEA | Sensormatic

“September saw a long-awaited positive uptick in footfall, with total shopper numbers returning the first positive year-on-year performance since July 2023.  While the High Street and Shopping Centres saw improvements compared to last year, Retail Parks were once again the standout shopping destination, with their tenant mix of out-of-town supermarkets and discount retail offerings helping to drive shopper traffic.  This September’s growth is built on last year’s suppressed footfall from September 2023’s heatwave.  While retailers will welcome the boost, hoping that this translates into sales, many will still be eyeing it with caution.”