The number of shoppers going out in the UK in November fell for the second consecutive month as late Black Friday discounts, Stormbart and weak consumer confidence led to weaker sales.
Latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic shows shopping centers were the worst hit, but visitor numbers to high streets and retail parks also fell, with the north-east of England, Yorkshire, Wales and Scotland affected. It was said that he was influenced the most. .
Total footfall at retail stores fell by 4.5% in the four weeks to November 23, led by a 6.1% decline in shopping centres. In Leeds, sales fell by around 11%, and in Cardiff and Glasgow, where bad weather contributed to the decline in sales, sales fell by around 9%.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “November saw a disappointing drop in footfall as a slower-than-usual Black Friday and weaker consumer confidence made customers reluctant to visit stores. ” he said.
“Some northern cities were also particularly hard hit by Storm Bart, which caused traffic disruptions towards the end of the month. We remain hopeful that this will help reverse the decline, which is critical as we move into our 'golden years.'
Online trading has also been slow before Black Friday, leaving retailers wondering whether there will be significant price increases this weekend, when discounts increase to coincide with payday for many workers.
Clothing retailers will be hoping that the recent cold snap will eliminate the coats and boots that were on shelves during the warm autumn months.
Kien Tan of advisory firm PwC said he remained optimistic about this weekend's trading.
Sectors that are performing well include games following the launch of new hardware and titles such as the latest Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, as well as mobile, where artificial intelligence-driven services and the launch of the iPhone 16 are driving demand. It is expected that
After newsletter promotion
“I think Black Friday will be strong. More people are looking for discounts and disposable income is up 10% year-on-year,” Mr Tan said. He said there was some tension surrounding the budget announcement, but there may also be some relief that, at least in the short term, it will mainly “impact businesses, not people”.
He said retailers were trying to spread out increased spending by targeting deals to loyalty scheme members and those signed up for email notifications to avoid delivery difficulties. added.
