Unseasonably Warm Weather Boosts Footfall, But Worst Performance in Scotland and Northern Ireland

  • Retail footfall dropped by 22.9% compared to pre-pandemic levels
  • Non-food sector performed better than overall retail at -14.9%
  • High street and shopping centres saw a decline of -23.1% and -23.6% respectively
  • Towns outperformed cities in footfall by 8.3%
  • Northern England had the best performance at -18.6%
  • Scotland and Northern Ireland were worst performers with a drop of -24.7%
  • Unseasonably warm weather led to a 9.9% increase in footfall compared to previous month
  • Chancellor’s Spring Statement may impact footfall due to rising costs
  • Local high streets saw a 15.7% increase in footfall

Retail footfall across the UK dropped by 22.9% compared to pre-pandemic levels, with non-food sector performing better at -14.9%. High streets and shopping centres saw declines of -23.1% and -23.6%, respectively. Towns outperformed cities by 8.3%, with footfall dropping -26.7% in cities and -18.4% in towns. Northern England had the best performance at -18.6%, while Scotland and Northern Ireland were the worst performers with a drop of -24.7%. Unseasonably warm weather led to a 9.9% increase in footfall compared to the previous month. However, concerns about the chancellor’s Spring Statement not doing enough to protect consumers from rising costs may impact footfall throughout spring as households cut back on non-essential items. Local high streets saw a 15.7% increase in footfall since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate and objective information about footfall trends in different regions and sectors, citing a source (Ipsos Retail Performance) and includes expert commentary on potential future impacts.
Noise Level: 3
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information about footfall trends and compares them to pre-pandemic levels, but it could benefit from more analysis or context on the impact of the chancellor’s Spring Statement and the cost of living concerns. It also lacks data or evidence to support the claim that local high streets are becoming more popular since the start of the pandemic.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: The article discusses the impact on retail sector and consumer behavior due to rising costs of living and council tax.
Financial Rating Justification: The article mentions the impact of rising costs of living and council tax on consumer behavior, which can affect retail sales and potentially impact financial markets through changes in consumer spending patterns.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: Other
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: Minor
Extreme Rating Justification: There is no extreme event mentioned in the text.

Reported publicly: www.retailsector.co.uk