May footfall rises on the back of three bank holidays

Footfall rose 1.1% from April, which followed a rise of 7.2% from March to April, making it the first time footfall has increased in two consecutive months since August 2022.

High streets saw the most shoppers as footfall increased 3.6%, compared to a 2.2% drop at shopping centres and a 0.9% drop at retail parks.

Footfall increased 3.3% year on year across all UK retail destinations, with high street footfall up 4.4%, shopping centres up 3.8% and retail parks up 0.2%.

The first May bank holiday weekend saw the most footfall compared to May 2022. High street footfall increased 9.2%, shopping centres rose 4.1% and retail parks rose 1.1%.

On coronation day, footfall was 20.6% lower than the previous Saturday.

The third bank holiday weekend saw an 8.5% increase in high street footfall compared to May 2022 as well as a 1.2% rise at shopping centres and 0.4% decline at retail parks.

The overall gap in footfall from 2019 narrowed to -10.8% across all retail destinations, up from -12% in April.

Springboard insights director Diane Wehrle said: “With three official bank holidays, May 2023 was a unique month in the retail calendar and it appears that it provided a further boost to retail stores and destinations with a rise in footfall of 1.1% from April.

“This was a second consecutive month-on-month rise following an increase of 7.2% from March to April, and it was the first time that footfall has increased in two consecutive months since August 2022 when footfall rose by 0.5% following on from a rise of 1.6% in July.

“In overall terms, the uplift in footfall in May demonstrates a greater degree of consumer resilience than initially envisaged but that consumers are selective about when they spend. This is highlighted by stronger performance over the weekends in May when high street footfall rose by 6.4% from April versus just 2.2% during weekday periods.

“With food inflation remaining at the highest rate for decades, this should be regarded as an oasis in the desert, with a summer of caution ahead as consumers brace themselves for further price rises and rein in shopping trips and spending.”