UK retail footfall drops 2.9% in September as shopping centre visits slide 3.5%

UK retail footfall fell 2.9% in September 2026 compared with September 2025, according to BRC‑Sensormatic data. Shopping centre visits declined 3.5% year on year, while retail park traffic slipped 1.7% and high street footfall fell 3% Northern Ireland was the only UK nation to record growth, with visits rising 2.1%

In England footfall dropped 3.4%, in Wales it fell 3% and in Scotland it decreased 0.7% over the same period. The British Retail Consortium urged the government to cut business costs via the forthcoming Autumn Budget, calling for relief on business rates to help retailers invest, keep prices competitive and support jobs. Sensormatic’s head of consulting for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Andy Sumpter, said inflation, household budget pressure, fuel costs and Budget uncertainty drove the September decline. The BRC‑Sensormatic monitor tracks visits to retail destinations as a proxy for shopper activity rather than actual sales.

“She argued that relief would help retailers invest in stores, keep prices competitive and support jobs as businesses prepare for Christmas,” Helen Dickinson, BRC chief executive said.

“He pointed instead to inflation, pressure on household budgets, fuel costs and uncertainty ahead of the Budget as factors influencing shopper behaviour,” Andy Sumpter, Sensormatic’s head of consulting and analytics for Europe, the Middle East and Africa said.

In August 2026, UK retail footfall declined 1.7% year on year, shopping centre visits slipped 0.5% and retail park visits grew 1%. High street footfall was down 3.1% in August.

What we know

UK retail footfall fell by 2.9% in September 2026 compared with September 2025, a sharper decline than the 1.7% year-on-year fall recorded in August, according to BRC‑Sensormatic data.
Shopping centre footfall fell by 3.5% year on year in September, compared with a 0.5% decline in August.
Retail park visits dropped by 1.7%, reversing August’s 1% growth.
High street footfall fell by 3%, a slight improvement on August’s 3.1% decline.
Northern Ireland was the only UK nation to record growth, with visits rising by 2.1%.