Fewer shoppers visited high streets, retail parks and shopping centres last week, figures by Springboard show show, highlighting a decline of 2.3 per cent.
According to Springboard, high streets, retail parks, and shopping centres had fewer visits than in the week before. High streets were worst hit, with a 3.3 per cent decline, while retail parks and shopping centres fell by 1.5 per cent and 0.7 per cent respectively. Overall, footfall was up 5.9 per cent compared with the same time in 2021, when the country was emerging from the Covid pandemic, but down 11.1 per cent on 2019 levels.
The biggest decline was in the West Midlands, with overall footfall down 3.7 per cent compared with the week before, while the east Midlands fell by 3.2 per cent.
In central London, footfall declined by 3.3 per cent; in northern England and Yorkshire by 2.5 per cent. The only area to record an increase was Scotland, up by 1.1 per cent.
Diane Wehrle, an insights director at Springboard, said: “There are several factors … driving consumer activity. However, the most evident is the squeeze on household incomes as a consequence of inflation and increased mortgage rates.
“This, mixed with the current political uncertainty, inevitably makes consumers cautious and then rein back on shopping trips.”
The data comes amid steep jumps in mortgages, 30-year-high inflation rates and increasing concern about the economic outlook.