Shop visits plunge across Britain

The autumn shopping season has started on a low note for the nation’s retailers, as new figures show that shopper numbers for the previous week were down sharply on the year.

The latest report from retail analyst FootFall shows that shop visits plunged by 6% last week compared to the same period last year.

Compared to the week prior, shopper numbers still fell 4.8% nationally from 11 September to 18 September, which the analyst attributes to last month’s interest rate hike and fears of another to follow.

“Consumers are still lacking in confidence following August's increase in the interest base rate, while improvements in transport fuel prices and the continued buoyancy in the housing market have done little to help drive shoppers back to retail destinations,” said Natasha Burton, spokesperson for FootFall.

“In addition, the continued warm weather is stifling demand for autumn product lines, with would-be shoppers making the most of the sunshine rather than stocking up on seasonal clothing and accessories.”

Meanwhile, the report’s figures show that department stores are continuing to outpace the retail sector as a whole, largely due to extensive marketing campaigns that are driving customers into their stores.