Footfall reached record levels last month
Published: 10 September, 2007
July saw the Retail FootFall Index (RFI) hit the highest level so far in 2007, as summer rain drove consumers away from the seaside and into shopping centres.
The figures, released by Experian company FootFall, show a rise in UK shopper numbers of 1.5 per cent since June, the second month-on-month rise in a row.
Martin Davies, spokesperson for FootFall, said: "The RFI, which measures visitors to retail outlets, shopping centres and high streets across the UK, is at its highest level so far this year.
"This is becoming an emerging trend with modern families, who are increasingly choosing 'destination centres', where play areas and food courts sit alongside traditional retail outlets, for day trips or family outings." However, comparisons against 2006 are still low, with shopper numbers trailing 3.5 per cent behind. On the other hand, although there are less people out shopping than a year ago, the gap in numbers has been closing for the past two months.
Davies added: "The RFI only measures footfall, so whether the surge in visitor numbers during July will be reflected in increasing sales is yet to be determined, as many unplanned visits to shopping centres are still of a browsing or selective nature.
"Also, with the weather forecasts for August looking more promising, the burst in retail activity that we saw in July may be short-lived, especially as the impact of interest rates rises slows high street spending. In the next few months retailers' thoughts will be turning to Christmas, while consumers face the possibility of a further rate rise before the year is out."
----
=== Retail Footfall Index UK - July 2007 ===
Month-on-month (July 2007 v June 2007) UP +1.5%
Year-on-year (July 2007 v July 2006) DOWN -3.5%
