The high street witnessed a remarkable increase, with footfall rising by 11.5% year-on-year and 9.6% compared to the previous weekend, marking the most significant rise since mid-July, according to insights from retail analysts MRI Software.
For the entire week, footfall across all UK retail destinations increased by 6.5%. MRI Software predicts another bustling week (17-23 December), forecasting a 10.8% jump compared to 2022 levels, with high streets expected to see a nearly 17% increase from the previous week. Retail parks and shopping centers are also anticipated to experience strong footfall as consumers make final purchases ahead of Christmas.
Breaking down consumer activity from the previous week, each day saw a progressive rise, with a particularly robust start to the week on Sunday and Monday, averaging +11.8%. This trend continued, reaching a peak on Thursday with a +13.6% increase.
In Central London, footfall surged by 22.5% compared to the previous year, with last year’s rail strikes impacting the figures. Festive markets and events contributed to a week-on-week rise in activity of 11.9% in regional cities outside of London, especially in North & Yorkshire and the West Midlands, both witnessing rises of 10.3% from the week before.
Analyzing data from 2017 to 2022 (excluding the Covid-19 years of 2020 and 2021), MRI Software observed a consistent rise in footfall across all UK retail destinations during the full trading week before Christmas, averaging 12.1% compared to the previous week.
This year, MRI Software anticipates a week-on-week footfall increase of 16.9% across all destination types, with retail parks (+16.5%) and shopping centers (+16.9%) expected to lead the way as consumers venture out for final food and festive purchases leading up to Christmas.
Jenni Matthews, Marketing and Insights Director at MRI Software, expressed optimism about the strong trading week, stating, «This much-needed boost will be paramount in closing out the Golden Quarter following a challenging year for both the retail sector and consumers.
