Total UK footfall decreased by 0.6% year-on-year (YoY) in January, up from -2.9% in December.
The latest British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Sensormatic data, which covers the four weeks 04 – 31 Jan, also showed high Street footfall fell by 1.9% in January (YoY), down from -0.9% in December.
Shopping Centre footfall decreased by 0.8% in January (YoY), up from -5.1% in December. However, retail park footfall increased by 1.1% during the period, up from -2.5% in December.
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According to the BRC data, Scotland recorded the strongest year-on-year growth in footfall, up 5.1%, with Northern Ireland also seeing strong growth of 3.8%.
By contrast, footfall fell across the rest of the UK, falling by 1.4% in England and dropping more sharply in Wales, which recorded the largest decline at 2.8%, when compared to last year.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Although footfall edged down in January compared to a year earlier, it was much better than the disappointing Christmas period.
“The best performing cities were in the north, where shopper traffic was hit badly by severe storms last year, and retail parks also recorded positive growth, as customers made the most of free parking to shop in person during the January sales.”
She added: “An uptick in consumer confidence and possible signs of a footfall recovery offer some cautious optimism for some spring like green shoots.”
Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic, said: “January offered a welcome reset for UK retail, with footfall recording its best performance in five months.
“Shopper traffic remained in negative territory, but the dial moved in the right direction, marking a clear improvement on December and the wider golden quarter.”
He said January’s data “shows that momentum is possible”.
“As retailers look to build on a steadier start to the year, those who can deliver value, experience and convenience will be best placed to turn tentative steps into returning footfall,” he said.
“After a long nine months of negative footfall, and a near flat January, some retailers will be brave enough to hope for growth next month.”
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