UK welcomes unexpected footfall uptick in December, Boxing Day leads the way

New figures by MRI Software have shown an unexpected uptick in footfall for December, with Boxing Day driving the way. According to the platform, the month’s footfall saw the “biggest annual boost since 2011”, with visits up 1.3 percent year-on-year.

MRI said activity was driven by a surge in evening and night-time activity (+5.3 percent after 5pm) and a standout Boxing Day, which recorded its strongest performance in 10 years (+4.4 percent YoY). Despite a number of stores staying closed on Boxing Day, footfall remained positive into the evening, during which activity was 10 percent higher than last year.

Throughout the month as a whole, high streets led annual growth, with footfall rising 2 percent. This was followed by a 1.2 percent uptick at retail parks and an increase of 0.1 percent at shopping centres. MRI said the results reflect the growing role of leisure and experience-led shopping visits, a definitive trend in 2025, particularly in town and city centres.

While December provided a “much-needed boost”, MRI said retail leaders are remaining realistic about the near-term future. Around 76 percent of those surveyed as part of MRI’s Insights from the Inside report said they expected January sales to be lower than January 2025, reflecting a sense of caution that continues to shape trading strategies.

MRI added that there have been early signs of resilience, however, as 38 percent of retailers said Christmas returns have already delivered a positive impact on sales, helping to sustain January footfall.