// December footfall improves after dropping 41.9% Y-o-Y compared with a 51.2% drop in November
// The number of shoppers declined by 31.5% Y-o-Y in the second and third weeks of December
// Boxing Day footfall was 60% lower than the same day in 2019
UK retail witnessed a slight improvement in December footfall after figures dropped by 41.9 per cent year-on-year compared with a 51.2 per cent drop in November.
The number of shoppers declined by 31.5 per cent year-on-year in the second and third weeks of December following the end of the second national lockdown, Springboard found.
However, the figure dropped by 50 per cent year-on-year in the final two weeks of the month following the introduction of Tier 4 restrictions.
READ MORE: December shop prices fall as retailers battle for customers’ Christmas spend
On Boxing Day, footfall was 60 per cent lower than the same day in 2019.
High streets were worst hit in the five weeks to January 2 after a decline of 50.8 per cent year-on-year.
Shopping centres dropped by 45.6 per cent and retail parks fell by 18.7 per cent.
December’s decline in footfall is in line with the average from March of 47.4 per cent compared to 2019 figures.
“Footfall during December as a whole improved from November in all three destination types,” Springboard insights director Diane Wehrle said.
“However, the month can only be described as a month of two halves which was a trading rollercoaster for retailers.
“A new year brings yet another lockdown which will be a further blow to non-essential retail but with a renewed optimism that bricks-and-mortar will bounce back in the summer as consumers will be eager to get out again and spend.”
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