After a ‘drab December’, store traffic experienced a January jump as rising footfall recorded its best performance in five months, according to the latest BRC-Sensormatic data.

In the four weeks to 31 Jan, while total UK footfall decreased by -0.6% year-on-year, it improved from -2.9% in December.

Cautious optimism after spring-like green shoots

“Although footfall edged down in January compared to a year earlier, it was much better than the disappointing Christmas period,” said Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

“An uptick in consumer confidence and possible signs of a footfall recovery offer some cautious optimism for some spring-like green shoots,” she added.

Retail Parks proved the best performing destination last month, rising +1.1% year-on-year, also up from -2.5% in December. Scotland recorded the strongest year-on-year growth in footfall of all the UK nations, up +5.1%, while Northern Ireland also reported strong performance of +3.8%.

A retail traffic reset

“January offered a welcome reset for UK retail, with footfall recording its best performance in five months,” Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic, commented. “Shopper traffic remained in negative territory, but the dial moved in the right direction, marking a clear improvement on December and the wider Golden Quarter.”

“January shows that momentum is possible,” Sumpter continued. “As retailers look to build on a steadier start to the year, those who deliver value, experience and convenience will be best placed to turn tentative steps into returning footfall.”

The improving footfall performance also follows a more positive retail sales outlook. After a “drab December” gave way to a brighter January, the BRC-KPMG index showed that last month total retail sales grew +2.7% year-on-year, driven by New Year and seasonal discounting.