UK shop visits post weakest April in more than five years
Updated
Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 8
UK shop visits post weakest April in more than five years
9 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 8
Footfall fell 10.7% year on year, with Wales down 13.8% and Northern Ireland 14.3%, while high streets and shopping centres also recorded sharp declines.
The British Retail Consortium said Easter timing partly distorted April data, but combined March and April footfall still dropped 3.9% from a year earlier.
Retailers said stubborn inflation, cost-of-living pressures and weaker consumer confidence linked to the Middle East conflict made shoppers more selective and reduced store trips.
As shoppers make fewer but more valuable trips, is a smaller, more exclusive high street the future for UK retail?
Can immersive tech and AI rescue physical stores from the worst consumer spending slump in years?