Footfall Increases on Boxing Day but Falls After New Year’s Eve

  • UK retail footfall decreased by 27.7% last week compared to pre-Christmas week
  • Boxing Day footfall was 40% higher than in 2021 but 18% lower than 2019
  • Footfall increased by 37% on December 27th and continued rising until December 29th before declining from New Year’s Eve
  • Over six days from Boxing Day, footfall was 16.3% higher than in 2021
  • Footfall gap compared to 2019 averaged a decrease of 11.9% over the six days from Boxing Day

Retailers in the UK experienced a significant drop in footfall last week compared to the week before Christmas, according to Springboard data. Despite being higher than the same period in 2021, it was still lower than pre-Covid levels. Boxing Day footfall increased by nearly 40% from 2021 but remained 18% below 2019 numbers. Footfall rose 37% on December 27th and continued to increase until December 29th before declining after New Year’s Eve. Over the six days from Boxing Day, footfall was 16.3% higher than in 2021. Excluding December 29th, the gap compared to 2019 averaged a decrease of 19.5%. Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard, attributed the difference to the timing of Christmas and Boxing Day falling on different days in each year. She noted that footfall on December 27th was higher than Boxing Day, with further increases on subsequent days peaking on December 29th before declining from December 30th.

Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate and objective information about footfall trends in UK retailers during the week of Christmas, comparing data from different years and explaining the factors that influenced these trends. It includes relevant details and statistics, and presents a balanced perspective from an expert source.
Noise Level: 4
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information about footfall trends in UK retailers during and after Christmas, comparing data from different years and offering insights on the impact of Covid-19 and other factors. However, it could benefit from more context or analysis to provide a clearer understanding of the implications for businesses and consumers.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: UK retailers
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses the footfall in UK retail destinations and its impact on businesses, which can affect their sales and revenue, making it relevant to financial topics.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Extreme Rating Justification: There is no mention of an extreme event in the last 48 hours.

Reported publicly: www.retailsector.co.uk