Footfall in May has fallen 0.2 per cent on a year ago as shopping centres and the high street dragged the figure down.
Shopping centre footfall fell sharply at 1.5 per cent while high street numbers fell 0.9 per cent, the latest data from the BRC and Springboard found.
Footfall has now fallen in high streets and shopping centres in four of the five months since January. The news is a further blow to bricks and mortar retailers who have seen their market share eroded by online retailers.
London has not been badly hit by the recession but reported a decline in foot traffic of 1.6 per cent. Footfall in Wales and the East Midlands fell 3 per cent and 2.6 per cent. However, out-of-town retail parks rose 3.3 per cent as savvy shoppers bought designer labels at a discount.
“Retail sales over the period have risen, which points to the continuing impact and popularity of online shopping particularly in non-food categories,” said the BRC‘s Helen Dickinson.
