'Drab December' for high street as number of shoppers declines
The Guardian|January 03, 2025
High streets and other shopping destinations experienced a "drab December", with an annual fall in the number of visitors, fuelling fears of disappointing sales in the most important month for retailers.
Sarah Butler

Attendance at UK shopping centres, retail parks and high streets was down 2.2% last month compared with the same period in 2023 - led by a 3.3% decline at shopping centres - according to data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and analysts at Sensormatic.

While footfall is no longer a clear guide to likely sales because of the rise of online shopping, which means less need for browsing in person, the figures will add to anxieties about how retailers performed in the run-up to Christmas.

A series of industry trading statements revealing how the crucial period went are due to be released from this coming Tuesday, including figures from the clothing and homewares chain Next, which is expected to have gained market share.

The listed grocers Sainsbury's, Tesco and Marks & Spencer are also likely to have done well, but some clothing and footwear specialists are expected to have struggled, with Quiz and Shoe Zone both issuing profit warnings before Christmas.

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