After a busy Easter/good-weather-fuelled April lifting spring, retail footfall was much more sedate in May. Last month, retail footfall fell marginally, by 0.4%, compared to a year ago in all UK retail destinations, according to MRI Software’s latest data.
The dip was driven by a 1.1% fall in high street activity, but at least shopping centres and retail parks bucked the trend with marginal rises of 0.2% and 0.5%, respectively.
Month on month, footfall also dipped (-0.1%) in all UK retail destinations. And it may have been worse had it not been for the schools’ half-term holiday at the end of the month “driving an influx of visitors to retail stores and destinations”, noted the report.
Weekend footfall also fell for the second consecutive month, by 1.8% overall compared to 2024 levels. However, weekday footfall in May rose slightly (+0.3%) compared to last year “which continues to support the changes in consumer behaviour; as the return to office remains strong, it may suggest that people are also visiting retail stores and destinations on the days they go into the office”.
This is further reinforced by MRI Software’s ‘Central London Back to Office’ benchmark that recorded a 2.4% uplift in weekday activity.
The slight rise last month in shopping centres and retail parks was “further evidence that consumers are likely more drawn towards the convenience factor of all-in-one destinations that offer more than just retail”.
Larger shopping centres (over 500,000 sq ft) benefitted greatly from the half-term boost, recording an 8.4% increase in footfall from the week prior, “and again indicates the attraction of retail destinations that offer leisure, hospitality and retail under one roof”.
Info from MRI Software’s ‘Insights from the Inside’ also saw 61.2% of retailers reporting lower sales during the early May bank holiday compared to last year, with 65.8% expecting softer trading through the half-term break.
Also, rising operational costs are beginning to bite, “and the knock-on effect is being felt at the till as higher prices are passed on to consumers, adding to the ongoing cost-of-living pressures” it said.
And the forecast for June? With a packed calendar of music and sporting events, including Beyoncé’s visit to London and the return of Wimbledon tennis, “UK cities are expected to see substantial footfall surges if historical trends are anything to go by”.
It added: “Retail leaders are encouraged to analyse last summer’s trends and ensure they are operationally ready to maximise this opportunity. As consumer habits continue to shift towards retail destinations that offer more than just shopping – a blend of retail with food, entertainment and experience may well remain front of mind for families.
“The challenge now is to sustain that momentum from the May half-term holiday into June and beyond.”
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