Latest news with #AndySumpter
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Summer shopping starts slow as footfall falls across UK
Retail footfall in the UK fell by 1.7% in May compared with the same month in 2024, according to new data from BRC‑Sensormatic spanning 4–31 May 2025. This represents a sharp reversal from April's strong rise of 7.2% and signals a subdued start to the summer shopping season. Footfall on High Streets dropped by 2.5%, down from a rise of 5.3% in April. Shopping centre visits fell by 2.3%, a marked turnaround from April's 5.6% growth. Analysis shows that across the UK nations, England experienced the steepest decline at 2.0%, while Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales saw smaller decreases ranging between 0.4% and 1.4%. Retail parks were the only outlet to register growth, albeit modest at 0.2%, compared with a 7.5% surge in April. Retail consultant Andy Sumpter notes that warmer May weather may have encouraged consumers to choose outdoor leisure over store visits. Nevertheless, he highlights that May's performance is an improvement over May 2024, which saw a 3.6% decline, suggesting greater stability in footfall this year. Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said that although market conditions had stabilised, high household bills had weighed on consumer confidence and reduced store visits. She added that retailers are facing higher operating costs following changes introduced in the government's 2024 Budget. Dickinson urged that proposed reforms to business rates in the 2025 Budget must not increase costs for any shop, stressing the need to support investment in high streets and town centres. Both Dickinson and Sumpter agree that while cost pressures remain, consumer sentiment is showing signs of recovery. Sumpter points to an uptick in optimism around personal finances and the broader economy, remarking that retailers are now focusing on experience, value and convenience to convert seasonal footfall into sustainable growth. Supporting this, AlixPartners' Matt Clark observes that the May data reflects a 'relatively steady month' and that mixed but valuable trading opportunities arose during the month's two bank holidays. Retailers will be watching closely to see if the summer season delivers a boost to retail footfall. Manchester, noted for its summer events, remains a bright spot and one of the top-performing English cities. The wider retail sector is expected to lean on targeted strategies around experience-led shopping, ongoing promotions, and consumer convenience to stabilise footfall as the summer progresses. As shoppers weigh up essential bills against discretionary spending, the high street's recovery hinges on balancing economic pressures with stronger local engagement and smarter government policy. "Summer shopping starts slow as footfall falls across UK" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Fashion Network
13-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
May's dip in footfall numbers tips over into June - BRC-Sensormatic
Data gatherers agree, it's been a slow start to summer shopping. The latest to record a softly-softly approach from consumers to retail spending is BRC-Sensormatic. Activity for the four weeks covering 4-31 May dipped to -1.7% year-on-year, way down from +7.2% in a busy Easter April. High Street footfall fell to -2.5% in May, down from +5.3% in April, Retail Parks proved their ongoing resilience, increasing 0.2% but still fell from +7.5%the previous month and Shopping Centre footfall dipped 2.3% in May down from +5.6% in April. It said footfall decreased year-on-year across all nations: down 0.4% in Wales, 0.7% in Scotland, 1.4% in Northern Ireland, and the largest decrease of 2% in England. BRC CEO Helen Dickinson said: 'Despite favourable weather throughout May, footfall took a disappointing turn last month, following a more promising start to the year. 'While stock markets stabilised, higher household bills depressed consumer sentiment and the appetite to visit retail stores.' Andy Sumpter, Retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic, added that the early good weather 'may have favoured outdoor leisure over shopping. Still, May's result is a marked improvement on the -3.6% seen in the same month last year and reflects a more stable trend in 2025 overall.' He added: 'Encouragingly, consumer sentiment has shown signs of improvement, with more shoppers feeling optimistic about their personal finances and the wider economy. Notwithstanding ongoing cost pressures, retailers will be looking to make hay while the sun shines—focusing on the right mix of experience, value, and convenience to convert seasonal footfall into sustained growth.' Earlier this month, MRI said footfall numbers were also slow at the start of this month (1-7 June) from the previous week, the sharpest week-on-week decline experienced since the seven days that followed the Easter period. It said overall, weekly footfall in UK retail destinations weakened by 8%, especially noticeable in shopping centres (-10.4%) with high streets following closely behind (-9%). Retail parks witnessed a more modest decline in activity at -3.5%.
Fibre2Fashion
13-06-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
UK retail footfall down 1.7% in May after April surge
Total retail footfall in the UK dropped by 1.7 per cent in May compared to the same month last year, a sharp contrast to the 7.2 per cent rise observed in April. The downturn affected all major retail formats, with High Streets, Shopping Centres, and Retail Parks all reporting weaker performances, according to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic IQ. High Street footfall fell by 2.5 per cent year-on-year in May, following a 5.3 per cent increase in April. Shopping Centres saw a 2.3 per cent decrease, down from a 5.6 per cent rise the previous month. Retail Parks were the only format to show a slight increase, up 0.2 per cent year-on-year, though this was significantly below April's 7.5 per cent growth. Footfall also declined across all four UK nations. England recorded the steepest fall at 2 per cent, followed by Northern Ireland (down 1.4 per cent), Scotland (down 0.7 per cent), and Wales (down 0.4 per cent). UK retail footfall fell by 1.7 per cent year-on-year in May, reversing April's 7.2 per cent rise, as per BRC-Sensormatic data. High Streets and Shopping Centres saw drops of 2.5 per cent and 2.3 per cent, respectively, while Retail Parks edged up 0.2 per cent. All UK nations reported declines. Analysts cited cost pressures, subdued consumer sentiment, and a shift toward outdoor leisure. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC , said: 'Despite favourable weather throughout May, footfall took a disappointing turn last month, following a more promising start to the year. While stock markets stabilised, higher household bills depressed consumer sentiment and the appetite to visit retail stores. Retail Parks performed the best of all locations, though only registering a slight uptick in shopper traffic. There was also positive news in the North West, as Manchester's string of summer activities solidified its position as one of the top-performing English cities. 'Retailers work hard to deliver vibrant, engaging shopping experiences that attract customers and boost footfall across the UK. However, the Chancellor's 2024 Budget added £5 billion to the industry's costs, hampering their ability to do so. The government must now ensure that upcoming reforms to business rates to be announced in the 2025 Budget leave no shop paying more. These reforms should support and incentivise, rather than penalise, the investment needed to revitalise our high streets and town centres.' Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic , commented: 'May's footfall figures showed a modest decline, with total UK retail visits down -1.7 per cent year-on-year. High Streets and Shopping Centres saw similar drops of -2.5 per cent and -2.3 per cent respectively, while Retail Parks edged up slightly by +0.2 per cent, continuing to demonstrate their resilience. 'Despite the warm and sunny weather—more typical of peak summer than late spring—footfall didn't quite follow suit, suggesting that consumers may have favoured outdoor leisure over shopping. Still, May's result is a marked improvement on the -3.6 per cent seen in the same month last year and reflects a more stable trend in 2025 overall. 'Encouragingly, consumer sentiment has shown signs of improvement, with more shoppers feeling optimistic about their personal finances and the wider economy. Notwithstanding ongoing cost pressures, retailers will be looking to make hay while the sun shines—focusing on the right mix of experience, value, and convenience to convert seasonal footfall into sustained growth.' Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)
Belfast Telegraph
13-06-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
NI retail takes a spring hit as footfall comes ‘back to earth with a bump'
The number of bargain hunters at local shopping centres and in Belfast fell in May compared to the performance for May 2024, according to the latest data from the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium (NIRC). It attributed April's strong performance in part to good weather, and said May's underperformance may relate to the higher National Insurance costs businesses are now paying. The results are a marked contrast with April, when Northern Ireland saw the largest growth in footfall of any UK region, going up 14.3%. Belfast was the best-performing city last month, seeing a 21.3% bump to footfall. Northern Ireland and its capital are more middle of the road in May, with a 1.4% shrinkage placing it seventh out of the 13 UK nations and regions listed. Belfast was sixth out of 11 ranked cities. The combination of economic uncertainty worldwide and increases in domestic national insurance costs provided a worrying background for shoppers in May and it looks like some have decided to play it safe and stay away from the shops for now. Neil Johnston, director of the NIRC, said: 'After encouraging figures and sunshine in April it was back down to earth again with a bump in May. 'Footfall was disappointing across the UK with the number of shoppers down by 1.7% and down by 1.4% in Northern Ireland compared to a year ago. 'Belfast had a remarkable surge in shoppers in April — up over 20% compared to the previous April — boosted by the later Easter. So perhaps the fact that Belfast is down 1.9% this May compared to the previous May is not that surprising. 'The combination of economic uncertainty worldwide and increases in domestic national insurance costs provided a worrying background for shoppers in May and it looks like some have decided to play it safe and stay away from the shops for now. 'The picture on footfall is also reflected in the retail sales figures which showed consumers putting the brakes on non-essential spending. 'This is not an encouraging situation for retailers facing higher employer National Insurance contributions and other statutory costs from the changes that kicked in during April.' News Catch Up - Thursday 12th June Retail consultant Andy Sumpter said: 'Northern Ireland's retail footfall held up better than the UK average in May, with a year-on-year decline of -1.4% compared to -1.7% nationally. 'High streets and shopping centres still saw some softening, but retail parks continued to show resilience, supported by their convenience and accessibility. 'Despite the warm and sunny weather — more typical of peak summer than late spring — footfall didn't fully reflect the brighter conditions, suggesting that consumers may have prioritised leisure and outdoor activities over shopping. 'Nevertheless, May's result marks a clear improvement on the -3.0% seen in the same month last year and contributes to a more stable trend in 2025. 'Encouragingly, consumer sentiment is on the rise, with more people feeling optimistic about their personal finances and the wider economy. 'Notwithstanding ongoing cost-of-living pressures, retailers in Northern Ireland will be looking to make hay while the sun shines — focusing on the right mix of experience, value, and convenience to convert seasonal footfall into sustained growth.'
Business News Wales
13-06-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Spring Sunshine Hits May Footfall Figures as Consumers Choose Leisure Over Shopping
Unseasonal warm and sunny spring weather may have impacted retail footfall in May as consumers prioritised leisure and outdoor activities. According to WRC-Sensormatic data, Welsh footfall decreased by 0.4% in May (YoY), down from 13.6% in April. Shopping centre footfall decreased by 5.4% in May (YoY), down from 8.1% in April. Retail park footfall increased by 1.2% in May (YoY), down from 11.6% in April. In May, footfall in Cardiff decreased by 2.1% (YoY), down from 9.0% in April. Sara Jones, Head of the Welsh Retail Consortium, said: 'Retailers will be a little disappointed as visits to shopping destinations fell back slightly in Wales in May. Hopes were high after a positive Easter trading period but sadly the figures were a small fall back from 2024's performance. It wasn't all bad news. Wales was the top performing nation in the UK last month, and retail parks continued to show growth. However, visits to Cardiff fell a little, and shopping centres saw a five per cent decrease. 'Last June saw concerts and sporting events draw consumers onto the high street but didn't translate into increased sales. The hope is this summer will see that footfall bounce repeated, but this time hopefully consumers will choose products rather than experiences. With consumer confidence shaky right now and businesses grappling with higher costs there is a lot on the line in the coming months.' Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, said: 'Welsh retail footfall held up better than the UK average in May, with a year-on-year decline of just -0.4% compared to -1.7% nationally. High streets and shopping centres still saw some softening, but retail parks continued to show resilience, supported by their convenience and accessibility. 'Despite the warm and sunny weather – more typical of peak summer than late spring – footfall didn't fully reflect the brighter conditions, suggesting that consumers may have prioritised leisure and outdoor activities over shopping. Nevertheless, May's result marks a clear improvement on the -5.0% seen in the same month last year and contributes to a more stable trend in 2025. 'Encouragingly, consumer sentiment is on the rise, with more people feeling optimistic about their personal finances and the wider economy. Notwithstanding ongoing cost-of-living pressures, retailers in Wales will be looking to make hay while the sun shines – focusing on the right mix of experience, value, and convenience to convert seasonal footfall into sustained growth.'
