Footfall in British Retail Outlets Decline as Brexit Nears: BRC

According to the latest research by BRC and Springboard, high street retailers, retail parks and shopping centers in the UK saw a 10% decline in footfall over the past seven years. Retail footfall by British consumers has declined 1.7% MoM in September and by 1.6% over a three-month period.

According to Chief Executive at BRC, Helen Dickinson, “Retailers are facing a sustained drop in footfall, with numbers of visitors down over 10% in the last seven years alone. With Brexit looming, many consumers are holding off from all but essential purchases.”

However, Brexit is not the only driving force behind the decline in footfall into British retail outlets. The growing dependence on online shopping has also pulled consumers away from traditional brick and mortar establishments, adding more pressure on retailers that are already worried about the potential impact of a no-deal Brexit scenario.

Shopping centers remain the hardest hit among retailers, experiencing a 3.2% decline in footfall in September when compared with a year ago. Meanwhile, high street retailers saw a 1.8% decline in footfall, compounded also by bad weather keeping consumers away. On the positive side, retail parks experienced a 0.1% rise in footfall during this period.