New year, same lockdown: UK shopping trips fall 27 per cent in first week of January
The total number of shopping trips across UK retail destinations fell 27.1 per cent in the week to Saturday versus the week between Christmas and New Year, reflecting the impact of new national lockdowns.
Data out from Springboard this morning said footfall was 63.8 per cent lower than in the same week last year.
In Greater London however, the decline in shoppers was a relatively mild 10.7 per cent, possibly because tighter rules already meant in-person retail therapy was off the cards.
Throughout December, further restrictions on socialising and shopping became necessary as Covid-19 infections and deaths surged.
It culminated in a nationwide lockdown which restricted retail acitivities to shopping only for food and other essentials, although online retail and click-and-collect is still allowed.
Springboard data for the past week shows the decline in shoppers was most accute in shopping centres (down 35 per cent), and on the high street (down 26 per cent) but still fell 21.3 per cent at retail parks as well.