Budget boost needed to back retail’s efforts to turn browsing into buying
Steady growth in September resulted in a 2.5% increase in Northern Ireland footfall (year-on-year), up from 1.4% in August.
This is the biggest increase of the four nations and better than the UK average decrease of -0.4% (year-on-year), according to the latest Northern Ireland Retail Consortium (NIRC) Sensormatic Footfall Monitor data.
Meanwhile, shopping centre footfall decreased by 0.8% in September (YoY) in Northern Ireland, up from -2.4% in August. In September, footfall in Belfast increased by 3.7% (YoY), up from -0.2% in August.
Director of the NIRC, Neil Johnston said there was a note of caution in these figures.
“The positive footfall figures for Northern Ireland seem to be driven by Belfast – Northern Ireland footfall was up 2.5% overall compared to the same period last year, while Belfast was up 3.7%,” said Neil Johnston.
“Retail parks seem to be the most vibrant locations at the moment, and this may be due to investment by retailers in these locations.
“There is a note of caution in that improvements in footfall haven’t always been correlated with an increase in the value of retail sales. Frustratingly for retailers more browsing by customers doesn’t necessarily mean more buying. As such, the hoped-for positive knock-on economic impact of an expansion in footfall cannot be taken for granted.”
Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, Andy Sumpter added: “September saw another positive uptick in footfall, building on the positive year-on-year performance in August, as back to school boosted store visits.
“While across the UK, high street and shopping centres saw improvements compared to last year, retail parks were once again the standout shopping destination, with their tenant mix of out-of-town supermarkets and discount retail offerings helping to drive shopper traffic.
“This September’s growth is built on last year’s suppressed footfall, so while retailers will welcome this second consecutive boost to store numbers, many will still be eyeing it with caution.”
