October Footfall Index - Christmas helps increase footfall, according to Experian
Published: 15 November, 2010
Christmas decorations and goods are starting to appear in the shops and it’s no surprise we’re seeing footfall increase as shoppers start to browse and plan for Christmas.
October historically has seen footfall levels increase month-on-month at an average of 6.3 per cent for the last 3 years. Although we’ve seen an increase month-on-month this year too, it’s not as notable as previous years at 5.4 per cent. Halloween at the end of the month and half term falling in the last week of October for schools, combine to make that last week of the month a particularly large one, contributing most substantially towards the full month’s increase.
The regional month-on-month growths were quite different across the country. Eastern experienced a 9.4 per cent increase on September compared to its neighbouring region of east midlands which only saw a 3.1 per cent increase. Perhaps some of these differences will be partly led by the introduction of Christmas decorations and goods more predominantly from one shopping centre to another. Another factor will have been the timing of the school half term within the month, as shopping centres naturally see footfall growth when schools have broken up.
The Retail Park Index has reported a -0.6 per cent decline on the year. Shopping centres had been increasing the gap ahead of retail parks this year but this month that growth has slowed with retail parks outperforming shopping centres. The month-on-month footfall increased by +1.0 per cent; not the 5.4 per cent seen in the UK National Index. As the days get darker and the nights get colder people will naturally gravitate towards the warmth of the shopping centres.
