With the UK in its third coronavirus lockdown, year-on-year UK retail footfall decreased by 76.9% in January, a 30.8 percentage point worsening from December. 

This is the largest drop in UK footfall since May 2020 (-81.6%). according to the BRC and ShopperTrak. 

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive at British Retail Consortium, says: “So far, retail locations in England are being hit harder than in the previous lockdown.”

“Under tight restrictions for the whole month, shopping centres saw the biggest decline in footfall of all retail locations, overtaking high streets for the first time since July 2020.”

She adds: “The future uncertainty for closed retailers puts many jobs and stores at risk. In the face of rising rents and return to full business rates liability from April, businesses are having to make business decisions about their future.”

“Government must reassure those hardest hit by the pandemic that they will receive vital financial support. Without urgent action, including a targeted extension to business rates relief, we will continue to see the collapse of more stores and consequent loss of many more thousands of jobs.”

Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA at ShopperTrak, comments: “It’s easy to let shuttered stores paint a bleak picture for the future of the high street, with many retailers now having faced almost a full year of store reopenings and closures as waves of Covid-19 have ebbed and flowed.”

“But it’s important to remember that when retail has reopened from lockdown, demand for in-store shopping has returned each time.”

He concludes: “And while the pandemic may have accelerated ‘Retail Darwinism’, those that have used this time as an opportunity to reset and invest in the operational foundations to meet new demands will be well placed to capitalise on pent-up demand for the in-person shopping experiences we have all been missing, as well as setting themselves up for strong, long-term growth.”

Sign up for our free retail technology newsletter here.