UK total retail footfall dropped by 0.4% in July for the second consecutive year, according to the latest data from British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Sensormatic.
Retail parks experienced a positive uptick with a 1.7% increase in footfall compared to the previous year, marking a recovery from a 1.1% drop in June, and July saw some big brands opening new outlets.
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But high street footfall continued to struggle, decreasing 1.7% year-on-year, albeit at a slower rate than the 3% fall observed in June 2025.
Shopping centres saw a reduced decline of 0.3%, improving from a 1.6% decrease in June.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson stated: “July failed to bring about the summer boost in shoppers many retailers had hoped for.”
She added: “While government’s plan to reduce business rates for most Rrtail, hospitality and leisure premises is a step in the right direction, only a substantial cut will truly benefit communities nationwide and help bring thousands of empty shops back into use.
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By GlobalData“Many smaller shops and businesses rely on larger anchor stores to attract footfall, so the upcoming reforms must also ensure no store pays more, or risk seeing many larger stores close their doors or raise their prices.”
Dickinson highlighted the performance of cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds, which saw a rise in store visits.
Regionally, Wales stood out with a 0.4% increase in footfall, while England, Scotland and Northern Ireland experienced declines of 0.3%, 1.3% and 3.0%, respectively.
Sensormatic EMEA [Europe, Middle East and Africa] retail consultant Andy Sumpter stated: “The early-July heatwave, following a scorcher in June, may have lifted leisure footfall more than retail, while one year into a new Labour government, consumer sentiment remains cautious.
“The underlying footfall trend may be improving, but this is still negative growth on negative 2024 figures – raising the question: are shoppers returning, or simply shopping around more as they try to spend less? Either way, retailers who can offer value, experience and convenience may be best placed to convert tentative footfall into lasting growth.”
