Footfall declines in June as high street activity wanes

Extreme heat, sporting milestones and music events resulted in uneven footfall activity across the UK in June. According to MRI Software, overall footfall declined 0.9 percent month-on-month and 1.3 percent year-on-year, with poor activity among high streets offsetting retail park resilience.

High street footfall dropped 1.4 percent MoM and 3.3 percent YoY, reflecting the destination’s sharpest annual decline recorded since June 2019. On the hottest days of the month, high street visits fell 9.4 percent week-on-week and 12.5 percent YoY.

Elsewhere, shopping centres experienced a 1.4 percent monthly decline and a 0.5 percent yearly decline. In contrast, retail parks welcomed a 0.6 percent increase over the month, and 2.4 percent YoY.

MRI said the performance reflected a continued shift towards purpose, timing and external conditions shaping shopping behaviour.

Retail parks saw a boost from convenience-led trips, and summer product sales boosted sales, supporting the link between extreme weather and more intentional spending. This doesn’t translate into broader destination footfall, however, as consumers are instead becoming more selective about where they shop.

The World Cup was also a driving factor in footfall, particularly for high streets, where activity rose 14.9 percent after 8pm on June 17. MRI said major sporting events were increasingly becoming more than just hospitality moments, but wider high street moments, extending dwell time and creating a sense of in-person community.

With World Cup fixtures and Wimbledon ongoing, the platform said there would be further opportunities to strategically leverage event-led footfall during evenings and weekends, adapting to patterns to make decisions on opening hours, staffing and promotions.