SRC: Guarded optimism as Scottish shopper footfall buoyed by Easter

Friday, 9 May 2025 00:01

Covering the four weeks 06 April - 03 May 2025 According to SRC-Sensormatic data: Scottish footfall increased by 6.9% in April (YoY), up from -6.6% in March. Shopping Centre footfall increased by 6.2% in April (YoY), up from -9.1% in March. Retail Park footfall increased by 8.8% in April (YoY), up from -1.1% in March. In April, footfall in Edinburgh increased by 8.1% (YoY), while footfall in Glasgow increased by 7.8%. Taking...Request free trial

Covering the four weeks 06 April - 03 May 2025

According to SRC-Sensormatic data:

Scottish footfall increased by 6.9% in April (YoY), up from -6.6% in March.

Shopping Centre footfall increased by 6.2% in April (YoY), up from -9.1% in March.

Retail Park footfall increased by 8.8% in April (YoY), up from -1.1% in March.

In April, footfall in Edinburgh increased by 8.1% (YoY), while footfall in Glasgow increased by 7.8%.

Taking March and April together, compared with the same two months in 2024 (to cancel out any impact of Easter):

Scottish footfall decreased by 0.6%.

David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said:
“Foot-traffic to Scottish stores rebounded in April thanks in large part to the inclusion of Easter trading during the month as well as sunnier, drier weather. Retailers were hoping for a good performance over Easter after a dismal March and this welcome improvement was seen across all retail destinations, with retail parks in particular faring well.

“In a growth-challenged environment and set against a backdrop of geo-political turbulence, these rosier footfall figures provide some grounds for guarded optimism. Clearly, it remains to be seen how it all translates into shoppers' propensity to spend and actual retail sales. What we do know is that the health and vitality of retailing in our larger town and city centres is ultimately dependent on the patronage of shoppers and buoyant consumer spending. As such the First Minister's announcement of the scrapping of peak rail fares from September is an encouraging move that should hopefully entice more shoppers into our larger conurbations this autumn and provide a welcome fillip to footfall.”

Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, commented:
“April brought a welcome rebound in footfall, with UK shopper numbers rising +7.2% year-on-year across all retail destinations. The combination of Easter trading and the sunniest April on record helped entice consumers back into stores. High Streets and Shopping Centres both saw solid gains of +5.3% and 5.6% respectively. Retail Parks continued to outperform at 7.5%, reinforcing their role as a resilient format.

“Looking at March and April together however, the overall picture for Scotland is more cautious, with footfall across the two months down 0.6% year-on-year. While this suggests that April's gains almost offset March's dip, it also highlights the importance of sustained engagement beyond seasonal peaks. Retailers will now be looking to build on this momentum as we move into the summer months."

MONTHLY TOTAL SCOTTISH RETAIL FOOTFALL (% CHANGE YoY)

UK FOOTFALL BY LOCATION (% CHANGE YOY)

TOTAL FOOTFALL BY NATION AND REGION

GROWTH RANK	NATION AND REGION	Apr-25	Mar-25
1	Northern Ireland	14.3%	-9.0%
2	Wales	13.6%	-8.3%
3	West Midlands	11.4%	-4.1%
4	South West England	8.9%	-9.8%
5	North West England	8.5%	-4.3%
6	South East England	7.9%	-6.0%
7	Scotland	6.9%	-6.6%
8	England	6.7%	-4.9%
9	East Midlands	6.4%	-5.0%
10	North East England	5.8%	-5.1%
11	East of England	4.3%	-5.4%
12	London	4.2%	-1.2%
13	Yorkshire and the Humber	4.0%	-7.3%

TOTAL FOOTFALL BY CITY

GROWTH RANK	CITY	Apr-25	Mar-25
1	Belfast	21.3%	-10.4%
2	Birmingham	11.8%	-2.1%
3	Liverpool	10.5%	-7.1%
4	Manchester	10.0%	-4.6%
5	Cardiff	9.0%	-10.8%
6	Edinburgh	8.1%	-9.0%
7	Glasgow	7.8%	-2.5%
8	London	4.2%	-1.2%
9	Leeds	3.5%	-10.1%
10	Nottingham	3.2%	-4.5%
11	Bristol	1.3%	-12.5%

-ENDS-

Methodology:
All figures are calculated using precise shopper numbers entering retail stores across the UK, whichever destination they are located.

While High Streets, Shopping Centres and Retail Parks are the main components of the Total Footfall, there are also additional categories not included as separate indices. These include outlets, travel hub locations, and free-standing locations such as garden centres.