In June, the UK posted its steepest decline in retail footfall since February 2014, according to latest BRC Springboard Footfall and Vacancies Monitor.
Footfall in June was 2.8% down on a year ago, worse than the 0.3% rise recorded in May, and the sharpest decline since February 2014. High street footfall was down 3.7%, while shopping centre footfall was down 2.3%.
The recent Brexit vote was cited as a reason that UK consumers shied away from visiting stores.
“With such major political and economic news in June, it is unsurprising that there was drop in footfall of 2.8 per cent across the UK in June, the poorest monthly result for more than two years and a marked worsening of performance since May when footfall rose slightly by 0.3 per cent,” said Diane Wehrle, Marketing and Insights Director, Springboard.
“The results are shaped by a political and economic storm against a backdrop of rain downpours and generally inclement weather throughout the whole month.”
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium added that “Although there is a level of uncertainty, it is important that this doesn’t deter us from the shopping and leisure activities we all enjoy. The EU referendum will not have changed the in-store experience for customers and, crucially, the price of goods on the shelves. Now is a great time for shoppers as the summer sales begin in earnest following on from a record 38 months of falling shop prices.”
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