Why retailers suffered a ‘disappointing’ Christmas as December footfall figures revealed
Figures show retailers suffered a disappointing December as rising bills and food costs kept shoppers at home.
According to data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic, the total number of visitors in the UK decreased by 2.9 percent year-on-year.
High street visits fell by 0.9 per cent and footfall to retail parks fell by 2.5 per cent. Shopping malls suffered the most, with 5.1 percent fewer Christmas shoppers than on New Year’s Eve.
Visitor numbers in the UK are down 0.8 per cent this year compared to the previous year, with the ‘Golden Quarter’ (October-December) recording a decline of 2.2 per cent.
Visitor numbers decreased year-on-year in all countries: 1.5 percent in Scotland and 1.7 percent in Northern Ireland; The biggest decrease was in England and Wales with 3.1 percent.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “It was a disappointing December for retailers, with footfall falling across all shopping destinations as well as major cities.
In the face of rising bills and food costs, many consumers have postponed post-Christmas sales; The only week to see a significant increase was the week after Christmas.
“Shoppers were also browsing less online in the run-up to Christmas, resulting in fewer but more targeted shopping trips, particularly in shopping centres, which saw the biggest drop in footfall.
“Last month’s figures capped a challenging year with overall shopping traffic declining in 2025. This marks the third consecutive year of decline in annual footfall, reflecting the ongoing evolution in shopping habits and the retail environment.”
Andy Sumpter from Sensormatic said: “Shopping traffic has increased outside of traditional peak days, showing festive buying patterns are changing.
“And while visitor numbers in the UK fell year on year, it was the second strongest of the G7 markets in December – a sign of resilience in this challenging trading environment.”
