Shopping centre visits fell 3.5% year on year, while retail parks and high streets also recorded declines. / Credit: Pack-Shot via Shutterstock

Shopping centres recorded the sharpest fall in visits as the British Retail Consortium urged the Government to reduce business costs ahead of the Christmas trading period.

UK retail footfall fell by 2.9% in September 2026 compared with September 2025, a sharper decline than the 1.7% year-on-year fall recorded in August, according to BRC-Sensormatic data.

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The monitor tracks visits to retail destinations, providing an indication of shopper activity rather than sales.

Shopping centre footfall fell by 3.5% year on year in September, compared with a 0.5% decline in August. Retail park visits dropped by 1.7%, reversing August’s 1% growth. High street footfall fell by 3%, a slight improvement on August’s 3.1% decline.

Northern Ireland was the only UK nation to record growth, with visits rising by 2.1%. Footfall fell by 3.4% in England, 3% in Wales and 0.7% in Scotland.

BRC calls for business rates relief

The British Retail Consortium (BRC), a retail trade association, urged the Government to reduce retailers’ operating costs through the forthcoming Autumn Budget, which sets out the UK’s tax and spending plans.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson called on the Chancellor, the UK’s finance minister, to avoid another increase in business rates, a tax on non-domestic properties such as shops.

She argued that relief would help retailers invest in stores, keep prices competitive and support jobs as businesses prepare for Christmas.

Consumer concerns weigh on footfall

Andy Sumpter, Sensormatic’s head of consulting and analytics for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said above-average temperatures did not explain September’s decline in retail visits.

He pointed instead to inflation, pressure on household budgets, fuel costs and uncertainty ahead of the Budget as factors influencing shopper behaviour.

With the Christmas trading period approaching, retailers face the challenge of attracting shoppers to physical stores while consumers remain cautious about spending.