Latest news with #BRC-Sensormatic
Fibre2Fashion
6 days ago
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
UK retail footfall falls 0.4% in July, BRC urges rate cuts
UK retail footfall has declined by 0.4 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in July, showing an improvement from June's 1.8 per cent drop, according to British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Sensormatic data. UK retail footfall fell 0.4 per cent YoY in July, improving from June's 1.8 per cent drop, BRC-Sensormatic data shows. High Streets were down 1.7 per cent, shopping centres 0.3 per cent, while retail parks rose 1.7 per cent. Wales saw growth; other nations fell. BRC's Helen Dickinson urged deeper business rates cuts to revive empty shops, as sentiment stays cautious despite signs of improvement. High Street footfall fell by 1.7 per cent YoY, easing from a 3 per cent decline in June. Retail Parks recorded a 1.7 per cent YoY increase, rebounding from a 1.1 per cent fall in the previous month. Shopping Centres saw footfall dip by 0.3 per cent YoY, improving from June's 1.6 per cent drop. Regionally, Wales was the only nation to post growth, with a 0.4 per cent YoY rise in footfall. England saw a 0.3 per cent decline, Scotland dropped 1.3 per cent, and Northern Ireland recorded the steepest fall at 3 per cent, BRC said in a release. Persistent shop vacancies—with around one in seven stores empty—remain a barrier to revitalising shopping destinations, according to Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium. While welcoming the government's plan to reduce business rates, she called for a substantial cut to deliver meaningful benefits for communities and revive empty shops. She also stressed that many smaller retailers depend on larger anchor stores to draw visitors, cautioning that upcoming reforms must ensure no store faces higher costs to avoid potential closures or price increases. 'July failed to bring about the summer boost in shoppers many retailers had hoped for. Instead, footfall dipped in July for the second consecutive year. There were bright spots, with Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds all showing an improvement in numbers of store visits. Retail parks continued to outperform other destinations with some seeing big brands opening new outlets,' Dickinson said. '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,' Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic, commented. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
Fashion United
08-08-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Retail footfall falters in July despite heatwave and events
In a month when the summer sun scorched pavements and the Lionesses lifted silverware, Britain's retail sector remained conspicuously tepid. July footfall figures, released by BRC-Sensormatic, reveal a marginal 0.4 percent year-on-year decline—an improvement on June's -1.8 percent, but still far from the revival fashion retailers were hoping for. Despite the seasonal promise of sun-soaked shoppers and destination dressing, High Streets suffered a 1.7 percent dip in foot traffic, while Shopping Centres edged down 0.3 percent. Retail Parks were the sole outperformers, registering a 1.7 percent YoY increase as consumers sought convenience and parking ease over promenade charm. This data paints a telling picture for fashion professionals: consumer sentiment remains cautious, discretionary spending thinly stretched, and even summer wardrobes are failing to lure feet through doors. Regional ripples Geographically, the footfall narrative is fractured. Northern Ireland led the fallers with a sharp 3.0 percent drop, while England as a whole slipped 0.3 percent. In contrast, Wales and key English regions like the North East (+1.6 percent) and Yorkshire and the Humber (+1.1 percent) offered glimmers of hope. Manchester emerged as the standout city, surging 3.9 percent, a performance possibly buoyed by event-driven traffic and continued urban regeneration. Yet as Andy Sumpter of Sensormatic notes, these surges are ephemeral. 'Events like the Oasis tour gave local uplifts, only for traffic to slide away shortly after,' he remarked. 'Retailers who can offer value, experience, and convenience may be best placed to convert tentative footfall into lasting growth.' For the fashion sector, these numbers underscore a deeper identity crisis. Physical retail remains indispensable for tactile engagement—fit, feel, and the emotional charge of purchase. But one in seven shops lie empty, eroding the theatre of the High Street shopping experience. In major cities, this vacant sprawl is particularly jarring. London, despite its global fashion stature, saw footfall fall 0.5 percent YoY. Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, was blunt: 'Customers want a vibrant shopping destination, but... more needs to be done to turn town and city centres into places people want to visit.' Indeed, for fashion retailers reliant on anchor tenants and bustling urban ecosystems, the state of public realm and commercial mix is no longer peripheral, it is existential. Policy reform The UK government's proposed reduction in business rates for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure premises has been welcomed, but sentiment across the sector is that incrementalism won't suffice. 'Only a substantial cut will truly benefit communities nationwide and help bring thousands of empty shops back into use,' Dickinson added. Without meaningful reform, many independents and department stores alike may struggle to justify bricks-and-mortar footprints—particularly when e-commerce and hybrid models continue to outpace physical recovery. Looking ahead As August progresses, fashion professionals will be eyeing back-to-school and early AW25 collections as the next real test of consumer intent. But unless footfall begins converting into full baskets, and doing so consistently, confidence in retail-led recovery will remain fragile.
Fashion Network
13-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
May's dip in footfall numbers tips over into June - BRC-Sensormatic
Data gatherers agree, it's been a slow start to summer shopping. The latest to record a softly-softly approach from consumers to retail spending is BRC-Sensormatic. Activity for the four weeks covering 4-31 May dipped to -1.7% year-on-year, way down from +7.2% in a busy Easter April. High Street footfall fell to -2.5% in May, down from +5.3% in April, Retail Parks proved their ongoing resilience, increasing 0.2% but still fell from +7.5%the previous month and Shopping Centre footfall dipped 2.3% in May down from +5.6% in April. It said footfall decreased year-on-year across all nations: down 0.4% in Wales, 0.7% in Scotland, 1.4% in Northern Ireland, and the largest decrease of 2% in England. BRC CEO Helen Dickinson said: 'Despite favourable weather throughout May, footfall took a disappointing turn last month, following a more promising start to the year. 'While stock markets stabilised, higher household bills depressed consumer sentiment and the appetite to visit retail stores.' Andy Sumpter, Retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic, added that the early good weather 'may have favoured outdoor leisure over shopping. Still, May's result is a marked improvement on the -3.6% seen in the same month last year and reflects a more stable trend in 2025 overall.' He added: 'Encouragingly, consumer sentiment has shown signs of improvement, with more shoppers feeling optimistic about their personal finances and the wider economy. Notwithstanding ongoing cost pressures, retailers will be looking to make hay while the sun shines—focusing on the right mix of experience, value, and convenience to convert seasonal footfall into sustained growth.' Earlier this month, MRI said footfall numbers were also slow at the start of this month (1-7 June) from the previous week, the sharpest week-on-week decline experienced since the seven days that followed the Easter period. It said overall, weekly footfall in UK retail destinations weakened by 8%, especially noticeable in shopping centres (-10.4%) with high streets following closely behind (-9%). Retail parks witnessed a more modest decline in activity at -3.5%.
Fibre2Fashion
13-06-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
UK retail footfall down 1.7% in May after April surge
Total retail footfall in the UK dropped by 1.7 per cent in May compared to the same month last year, a sharp contrast to the 7.2 per cent rise observed in April. The downturn affected all major retail formats, with High Streets, Shopping Centres, and Retail Parks all reporting weaker performances, according to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic IQ. High Street footfall fell by 2.5 per cent year-on-year in May, following a 5.3 per cent increase in April. Shopping Centres saw a 2.3 per cent decrease, down from a 5.6 per cent rise the previous month. Retail Parks were the only format to show a slight increase, up 0.2 per cent year-on-year, though this was significantly below April's 7.5 per cent growth. Footfall also declined across all four UK nations. England recorded the steepest fall at 2 per cent, followed by Northern Ireland (down 1.4 per cent), Scotland (down 0.7 per cent), and Wales (down 0.4 per cent). UK retail footfall fell by 1.7 per cent year-on-year in May, reversing April's 7.2 per cent rise, as per BRC-Sensormatic data. High Streets and Shopping Centres saw drops of 2.5 per cent and 2.3 per cent, respectively, while Retail Parks edged up 0.2 per cent. All UK nations reported declines. Analysts cited cost pressures, subdued consumer sentiment, and a shift toward outdoor leisure. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC , said: 'Despite favourable weather throughout May, footfall took a disappointing turn last month, following a more promising start to the year. While stock markets stabilised, higher household bills depressed consumer sentiment and the appetite to visit retail stores. Retail Parks performed the best of all locations, though only registering a slight uptick in shopper traffic. There was also positive news in the North West, as Manchester's string of summer activities solidified its position as one of the top-performing English cities. 'Retailers work hard to deliver vibrant, engaging shopping experiences that attract customers and boost footfall across the UK. However, the Chancellor's 2024 Budget added £5 billion to the industry's costs, hampering their ability to do so. The government must now ensure that upcoming reforms to business rates to be announced in the 2025 Budget leave no shop paying more. These reforms should support and incentivise, rather than penalise, the investment needed to revitalise our high streets and town centres.' Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic , commented: 'May's footfall figures showed a modest decline, with total UK retail visits down -1.7 per cent year-on-year. High Streets and Shopping Centres saw similar drops of -2.5 per cent and -2.3 per cent respectively, while Retail Parks edged up slightly by +0.2 per cent, continuing to demonstrate their resilience. 'Despite the warm and sunny weather—more typical of peak summer than late spring—footfall didn't quite follow suit, suggesting that consumers may have favoured outdoor leisure over shopping. Still, May's result is a marked improvement on the -3.6 per cent seen in the same month last year and reflects a more stable trend in 2025 overall. 'Encouragingly, consumer sentiment has shown signs of improvement, with more shoppers feeling optimistic about their personal finances and the wider economy. Notwithstanding ongoing cost pressures, retailers will be looking to make hay while the sun shines—focusing on the right mix of experience, value, and convenience to convert seasonal footfall into sustained growth.' Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)
