Footfall declined year on year for all nations apart from Wales, where it saw a 0.4% increase compared to the previous year. It was down 0.3% in England and 1.3% in Scotland, with the largest decrease of 3% in Northern Ireland.
The figures for July, covering the four weeks from 6 July to 2 August 2025, follow a 1.8% overall decline in June, with footfall down 5.2% in Northern Ireland in June.
The Monitor indicates that footfall on the high street across the UK decreased by 1.7% year on year in July, a rise from -3.0% in June.
Retail park footfall increased by 1.7% year on year in July, up from -1.1% in June, while shopping centre footfall also decreased by 0.3% in July year on year, up from -1.6% in June.
Neil Johnston, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said shoppers and retailers were currently experiencing economic challenges: “The figures across England, Scotland and Wales are far from encouraging… however, the Northern Ireland situation is the least upbeat. Belfast was the best performing retail destination but failed to buck the trend with numbers down 2.9% compared to last year.”
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: “July failed to bring about the summer boost in shoppers many retailers had hoped for. Instead, footfall dipped in July for the second consecutive year. There were bright spots, with Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds all showing an improvement in numbers of store visits. Retail parks continued to outperform other destinations with some seeing big brands opening new outlets.”
“Customers want a vibrant shopping destination, but with around one in seven shops lying empty, more needs to be done to turn town and city centres into places people want to visit,” she added.