Recent data from Huq Industries highlights the dynamic nature of consumer behaviour across various UK retail centres, with regional and type-specific variations in footfall, dwell time and weekday visitation shares.
Daily Footfall by Retail Centre Type
Regional Footfall Variations
Retail Parks: The latest report on Retail Parks shows significant regional variances in dwell time. While the South East saw a dramatic increase with a year-on-year rise of 60%, the North East saw a decrease of 11.7% for the same period. Weekday visitation shares have also shifted. Wales and Yorkshire and the Humber saw year-on-year increases, indicating a possible shift in consumer shopping habits towards weekdays in these regions.
Major Retail Centres: In week 37, Northern Ireland experienced a significant increase of 43.7% in average daily footfall, contrasting with the South West, where footfall has declined. Dwell times and weekday visitation shares also show varied results across the regions. The East Midlands reports an increase in dwell time, whereas Wales experienced a decrease. Weekday visitation in Yorkshire and the Humber increased, indicating a shift in consumer patterns, while London shows a decline.
Local Retail Centres: In the South West, there has been an increase in average daily footfall week-on-week, while the year-on-year figures show a decline. In contrast, Northern Ireland has experienced a year-on-year increase in footfall. Wales has seen an increase in the average dwell time compared to the previous year.
High Streets & Town Centres: London saw a notable increase in average daily footfall year-on-year, with a 9.1% rise, contrasting with a general decline in regions like the North East and South East. Dwell times have also varied, with Wales experiencing the highest year-on-year increase among all the UK regions. Meanwhile, working weekday visitation shares have seen fluctuations, with the North East experiencing an increase year-on-year, suggesting a shift in consumer behaviour during the weekdays.
Shopping Centres: The latest report for Shopping Centres showed a week-on-week decrease in average daily footfall for the South East, but there was an overall positive year-on-year trend. The East Midlands, experienced a year-on-year decrease in average daily footfall, contrasting with the positive trends seen in other regions like Wales and London, where footfall has increased on last year. Scotland and the North West saw decreases in both footfall and dwell time year-on-year while London had an increase in both footfall and weekday visitation shares.
Industry News and Weather Impact
Recent industry news, such as the opening of new Ben Sherman shops in Northern Ireland and Mountain Warehouse planning to open another 50 stores, reflects a positive outlook for retail expansion (Ben Sherman opens first physical store in Northern Ireland). Weather conditions may have played a role in influencing footfall patterns. For instance, cooler temperatures and rain in regions like the North East and South East may have contributed to the observed changes in footfall and dwell time.
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