Retail footfall in the UK remained under pressure in May as record temperatures kept consumers away from shops, according to the latest data.
Traffic on Britain’s high streets, shopping centres and retail parks improved slightly on a dismal April, where the early timing of Easter skewed figures and resulted in double-digit declines.
Total UK footfall decreased by 2.6% last month, up from a 10.7% fall in April, the latest BRC-Sensormatic figures showed.
Shopping centres fared the worst in May, with footfall down 2.4%, compared with a 1.5% drop on the high street and a 0.5% decline on retail parks.
While England, Northern Ireland and Wales all experienced declines, Scotland scored a 0.4% rise in footfall last month.
BRC chief Helen Dickinson said the warmer weather initially encouraged more shoppers into stores before a sharp decline when the heatwave hit towards the end of the month.
“Households remain anxious about the long-term impact of the Iran conflict and inflation and expect prices to rise over the year,” she added. “By tackling the inflationary pressures on the horizon, government can help rebuild consumer confidence, ultimately supporting footfall.”
Sensormatic retail consultant Andy Sumpter said: “Consumer confidence may be edging up slightly, but it remains fragile, with geopolitical uncertainty continuing to weigh on discretionary spend.”
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