According to the latest NIRC-Sensormatic IQ data,  Northern Ireland footfall decreased by 14.5% in March, year on three years (Yo3Y), 3.4 percentage points better than February. This was better than the UK average decline of 15.4% (Yo3Y).

Shopping centre footfall declined by 19.7% in March (Yo3Y) in Northern Ireland, an improvement on the decline of 23.6% in February, and in March, footfall in Belfast decreased by 18.9% (Yo3Y), 5.2 percentage points better than February.

David Lonsdale, Head of Devolved Nations at the British Retail Consortium and Northern Ireland Retail Consortium spokesman, said: “There was a modest uptick in shopper footfall in Northern Ireland last month as people gradually returned to retail destinations.

“However, the fact is footfall continues to languish well down on pre-pandemic levels. Visits to shopping centres and Belfast city centre improved a touch, however the overall results for Northern Ireland were disappointing despite March being the first full trading month since the loosening of stultifying Covid related restrictions in stores.  

“Shops themselves are continuing to provide a welcoming and safe shopping experience with a wide range of products, admittedly against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and concerns over the cost of living. Northern Ireland’s shops and the thousands of jobs they provide will only survive with the patronage of the public, and questions remain over what demand will look like in the months ahead.

“As such, these figures should lead to an early response from policy makers as to the health of our retail destinations. There is a pressing need to bring energy and vision to the revival of our retail and high street destinations, as well as a longer-term plan to permanently lower the business rate and adopt a more coherent strategy for the retail industry as Scotland has published.” 

Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, said: “As we surpass two years since the first Covid-19 lockdown, we might begin to see where retail footfall trends will settle down as retail resets.  With the High Street’s recovery hitting its best performance since October and UK shopper traffic tracking ahead of its European counterparts, retailers’ optimism will be met with a healthy dose of realism.   

“While Covid-19 restrictions may be loosening, the nation’s belts may start to tighten as the impact of the cost-of-living squeeze and price inflation accelerates, and the knock-on effect of the energy cap rise and increased National Insurance contributions this month remain unknown as they look ahead into April and beyond. 

“However, while price sensitivity may be growing among UK consumers, spending and brand loyalty seem to be ‘stickier’ in-store, with our recent research showing over a third were less price sensitive when shopping in-store compared to when they bought items online, and half felt more loyal to the bricks-and-mortar brands they shop with.” 

MONTHLY NORTHERN IRELAND RETAIL FOOTFALL (% CHANGE YoY)  

TOTAL FOOTFALL BY REGION (% CHANGE ON 2019) 

TOTAL FOOTFALL BY CITY (% CHANGE ON 2019) 

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Footfall decreased by 9.5% in January (Yo2Y), a 1.3 percentage point improvement on December, but this remains above the UK average decline of 17.1% (Yo2Y), according to Northern Ireland Retail Consortium.

NIRC-Sensormatic IQ data also revealed that shopping centre footfall declined by 27.7% in January (Yo2Y) in Northern Ireland, well below the decline of 19.3% in December.

And in January, footfall in Belfast decreased by 6.3% (Yo2Y), 5.7 percentage points worse than December.

Aodhán Connolly, Northern Ireland Retail Consortium Director, said: “Northern Ireland continues to lead the UK footfall fightback for the fourth month in a row with Northern Ireland’s shop visits being almost 8 percentage points higher than the UK average.

However, the footfall bounce back has slowed, especially in shopping centres which have a had a particularly challenging January. And while Belfast still outstripped Cardiff or Glasgow, the gap between the cities has closed significantly.  Last month we predicted that this could happen given the end of the successful of the High Street Card Scheme. But there is more at play here than the end of this scheme.

“Consumers are feeling the pinch of rising energy costs which also fed into the highest BRC Shop Price Inflation since December 2012. January saw shop price inflation nearly double, driven by a sharp rise in non-food inflation where increased prices were due to rising oil costs which made shipping more expensive.

“Food prices have continued to rise, especially domestic produce which have been impacted by poor harvests, labour shortages, and rising global food prices.

“The rise in shop prices is playing into wider UK inflation, which is pushing cost of living to the forefront of the political agenda. Many households will find it difficult to absorb the additional costs, as well as others on the horizon.

“Retailers are working hard to cut costs, but it would be impossible to protect consumers from any future rises. As commodity prices, energy prices and transportation costs continue to rise, it is inevitable that retail prices will continue to follow in the future with a possible knock-on effect on footfall.”

Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, said: “While total retail shopper traffic in Northern Ireland improved marginally on December’s figures, footfall’s recovery remains somewhat plateaued.  January became the second successive month in which shopper counts struggled to reach the highest recovery levels seen back in November – however Northern Ireland’s footfall recovery performed the most strongly when compared to the rest of the UK nations.  Retailers will be hoping continued consumer confidence will put a spring back in to the step of the High Street’s recovery.”

Since the pandemic started, much of retail has bounced between being open and closed, impacting footfall significantly. To make meaningful comparisons to changes in footfall, all 2021 figures are compared to their pre-pandemic levels. This means the Jan/Feb 2022 figures are year-on-two-years (Yo2Y), rather than year-on-year (YoY).

TOTAL FOOTFALL BY REGION (% CHANGE Yo2Y)

TOTAL FOOTFALL BY CITY (% CHANGE Yo2Y)

The post NI still leading the UK footfall pack, but progress slows and cost pressures rise first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

According to NIRC-Sensormatic IQ data Northern Ireland footfall decreased by 16.6% in August (Yo2Y), a 3.3 percentage point increase from July. This is above the UK average decline of 18.0% (Yo2Y).

Shopping Centre footfall declined by 15.5% in August (Yo2Y) in Northern Ireland, down from -15.3% in July.

In August, footfall in Belfast decreased by 19.1% (Yo2Y), a 1.7 percentage point increase from July.

 Aodhán Connolly, Northern Ireland Retail Consortium Director, said:

“Shopper footfall in Northern Ireland continued to improve in a steady if unspectacular way in August. That said, footfall is still languishing almost 17% down on pre-pandemic levels with retail destinations and especially towns and city centres still feeling the pinch from a lack of return to office working.

“The sustained weakness in shopper footfall is disconcerting as the hourglass counts down towards what is traditionally retail’s golden quarter prior to Christmas. This is when many retailers generate the revenues required to tide them through the leaner early months in the new year. Retailers are playing their part in trying to tempt shoppers back and we look forward to the role out of the high street stimulus card this month. However, policy makers should consider what more they could do to help galvanise a growth in consumer confidence and entice shoppers back. More support will be needed to assure the recovery of our high streets” 

Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, said:

“Bolstered by staycationer shopper traffic and the Back To School boost, August saw footfall recovering to its highest point compared to pre-pandemic levels so far this year.  In every UK city we track – including larger cities which have sorely felt the impact of slow returning commuter trade in recent months – showed improved shopper counts, as vaccine confidence won out against the fears and spread of the Delta variant.”

“Sustaining this recovery into the Autumn – and as retailers head towards the critical Golden Quarter of peak trading – is no longer just reliant on maintaining consumer confidence.  Getting stock on shelves has always been a given retail imperative.  But amidst the ongoing disruption to stock availability, exacerbated by both Brexit and covid-19, shoring up supply chains to meet elevated levels of demand, and offering alternative delivery formats like click and collect to ease the burden on the digital fulfilment network, will become even more mission critical if recovery is set to continue.”

*2020 was a turbulent year in which much of retail bounced between being open and closed, impacting footfall significantly. To make meaningful comparisons to changes in footfall, all 2021 figures are compared with 2019 (pre-pandemic). This means our 2021 figures are now year-on-two-years (Yo2Y), rather than year-on-year (YoY).

MONTHLY TOTAL NORTHERN IRELAND RETAIL FOOTFALL (% CHANGE WITH 2019)

TOTAL FOOTFALL BY REGION (% CHANGE WITH 2019)

TOTAL FOOTFALL BY CITY (% CHANGE WITH 2019)

The post Footfall improves but more support needed – says NIRC first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.