Shopper numbers are continuing to fall across the UK, as consumers continue to ignore new autumn and winter product lines, new figures suggest.
The latest index from retail analyst FootFall shows that shop visits plunged 8.1% on the year last week, adding more misery for the nation’s shop owners, who have struggled to draw customers into their stores since the run-up to the summer’s World Cup competition.
The analyst’s town centre index gave a slightly more favourable result than the national reading, but it still showed shopper numbers falling by 5.3% during the week of 18 to 24 September when compared to the same period last year.
FootFall attributes the drop to last week’s unexpected spell of warm weather, which motivated consumers to only make shopping trips for necessities and a lack of interest in stores’ new seasonal lines.
“Retailers will be hoping the unseasonably warm weather does not continue, as it is distracting would-be shoppers from traveling to retail destinations,” said Natasha Burton, spokesperson for FootFall.
“People are yet to begin stocking up on new autumn and winter product ranges, such as shoes and clothing, which has hit retailers hard. Once seasonal clothes shopping begins, we would expect to see a recovery for retailers; though, overall, 2006 has been a frustrating year.”
She added that shop owners will now be pinning their hopes for a recovery on Halloween sales. Last year, shopper numbers rose by over 13% during the Halloween period, and a repeat performance would help ease concerns for the retail sector, she said.
