Black Friday’s later scheduling means that the shopping event will now add to the more bountiful festive season, which is what businesses are looking forward to after disappointing foot traffic numbers throughout November.
In the four weeks between 27th October and 23rd November, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic recorded a 4.5 per cent year-over-year decline in UK foot traffic, compared to 1.1 per cent in October.
All retail locations saw a drop in foot traffic, but shopping malls were particularly hard hit, seeing a 6.1 per cent drop. High streets saw a 3.7 per cent drop in foot traffic after this, followed by retail parks, which saw a 1.1 per cent loss.
Region-wise, Wales saw the largest drop in foot traffic (7.1 per cent), followed by Scotland (6.2 per cent). England and Northern Ireland had declines of 4.2 and 2.8 per cent, respectively.
The late-than-usual Black Friday, low consumer confidence, and the arrival of Storm Bert were all factors in the dismal results, according to BRC CEO Helen Dickinson. Nevertheless, merchants were more optimistic as they moved into the ‘Golden Quarter’.
Despite this, Dickinson expressed concern about extra expenses that would be imposed on stores in 2025 and once more urged the government to assist merchants in lessening the effects of the impending expenditures.
