Retail footfall across the UK declined for the sixth month in a row in October, according to new data from the British Retail Consortium-Sensormatic IQ Footfall Monitor.

Total UK footfall decreased by 0.7% in October (YoY), up from a -1.8% fall in September, with High Street footfall providing some positive news as it increased by 0.6% in October (YoY), up from a -2.5% decline in September.

Footfall to retail parks and shopping centres also declined – by -0.5% and -0.9% respectively.

Wales saw an increase in footfall of 0.6% year-on-year, while all other nations experienced a decline: Scotland fell by 0.1%, Northern Ireland by 0.2%, and England saw the largest fall at 0.9%.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC called on the Government to use the upcoming Budget to support shops, including large anchor stores, to help drive shopper traffic to high streets.

“Now is the moment for Government to deliver on their manifesto’s business rates commitment, exclude retail from the new business rates surtax and ensure a meaningful rates reduction for the industry. This will help to boost investment in fresh and exciting shopping destinations, better in-store experiences and encourage shoppers to visit more often,” said Dickinson.

Halloween did deliver a welcome boost with data from Sensormatic’s ShopperTrak Analytics platform showing footfall rose by +4.6% year-on-year on 31 October, while week-on-week it delivered a +3% uplift in shopper traffic.

“Shoppers appear to be ‘spooked’ by ongoing economic uncertainty, delaying discretionary purchases and focusing on essentials. October’s slight improvement may hint at early seasonal activity, but retailers will be watching closely, hoping to see momentum build in November,” commented Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic.