Footfall Monitor
Footfall still down on pre-pandemic levels
Helen Dickinson OBE | Chief Executive | British Retail Consortium
“Following months of little improvement, August footfall was a tentative step in the right direction. There were minor improvements with the return of some workers to the office and domestic tourism through August, however overall footfall remained significantly down compared to the pre-pandemic peak.
“For our local communities to thrive, Government must deliver on the commitment it made in the business rates review to reduce the overall burden of the tax, which is hindering retailers’ ability to invest and create jobs and leading to store closures across the country. It is vital the government delivers on this commitment when it publishes the conclusion of its review over the coming months."
Andy Sumpter | Retail Consultant – EMEA | Sensormatic Solutions
“Bolstered by staycationer shopper traffic and the Back To School boost, August saw footfall recovering to its highest point compared to pre-pandemic levels so far this year. In every UK city we track – including London, which has sorely felt the impact of slow returning commuter trade in recent months – showed improved shopper counts, as vaccine confidence won out against the fears and spread of the Delta variant.
“Sustaining this recovery into the Autumn - and as retailers head towards the critical Golden Quarter of peak trading - is no longer just reliant on maintaining consumer confidence. Getting stock on shelves has always been a given retail imperative. But amidst the ongoing disruption to stock availability, exacerbated by both Brexit and covid-19, shoring up supply chains to meet elevated levels of demand, and offering alternative delivery formats like click and collect to ease the burden on the digital fulfilment network, will become even more mission critical if recovery is set to continue.”
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