Wales has experienced the strongest recovery in retail footfall across the UK, showing a 5.4% year-on-year increase in September.
- Retail footfall in Wales outpaced other UK nations, surpassing England’s 3.6%, Northern Ireland’s 2.5%, and Scotland’s 0.7%.
- The robust growth in Wales follows a decline in August and highlights a positive shift in consumer activity.
- Shopping centers in Wales, although still down, showed improvement in September, indicating a recovering retail environment.
- Key city Cardiff reported significant gains, ranking third in the UK for year-on-year growth in retail footfall.
In September, Wales marked a notable milestone in the retail sector by achieving the highest year-on-year increase in footfall across the United Kingdom, as reported by the Welsh Retail Consortium. The footfall rose by an impressive 5.4%, significantly outstripping the 3.6% increase observed in England, 2.5% in Northern Ireland, and only 0.7% in Scotland. This surge also transpired after a 1.8% decline in August, underscoring a remarkable rebound in retail activity.
Wales’ retail recovery has placed it at the forefront of regional performance, even as shopping centers remain somewhat sluggish with a 1.6% decline, which is still an improvement from August’s 5.2% drop. The general uplift in footfall has been partly attributed to back-to-school shopping, which traditionally boosts consumer numbers during this period. Across the UK, this seasonal shopping activity has contributed to a 3.3% overall increase in footfall, with retail parks particularly benefiting due to their combination of supermarkets and discount retail offerings.
Among the core cities, Cardiff emerged as a standout performer, recording the third highest growth in shopper numbers at 3.9%, following declines of 4.1% the preceding month. This positions Cardiff just behind Leeds and Bristol in the UK city footfall rankings.
The outlook, however, remains cautious as Welsh retailers brace for the forthcoming ‘golden quarter’ that includes the critical Christmas shopping period. Sara Jones of the Welsh Retail Consortium highlighted the importance of sustainable growth and the need for supportive government policies to maintain momentum. Jones stated, ‘Welsh footfall returned its first year on year growth since March, with a positive start to the autumn shopping period.’ She emphasized the crucial role of governmental decisions in supporting ongoing growth and business conditions.
On a broader scale, Andy Sumpter from Sensormatic Solutions acknowledged the cautious optimism within the retail sector, noting that the growth was partly due to low comparative figures from the previous year. He pointed out that while the rise is welcome, retailers remain vigilant about the consistency of this uplift.
Wales’ remarkable retail footfall recovery signals hopeful progress for the region as it enters the critical holiday shopping season.
