‘Dreich’ year for Scottish retail as shopper footfall figures across the nation revealed

There was a fall in the number of people visiting Scotland’s high streets in December, rounding off a “dreich” 2024 for the retail sector, a report today reveals.

Scottish footfall decreased by 1.5 per cent last month, compared with December 2023, according to the latest figures from the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and Sensormatic. Shopping centre footfall was down by an average of 2.3 per cent, though retail park footfall lifted 4.2 per cent in December.

A geographic breakdown of the data shows that overall footfall in Edinburgh decreased by 1.1 per cent, year on year, while Glasgow nudged up 0.2 per cent. Overall, total Scotland footfall across the whole of 2024 was down 2 per cent on 2023.

Festive shoppers in Glasgow where there was a modest year-on-year rise in footfall in December.

David Lonsdale, director of the SRC, said: “There’s little denying these are dreich figures for retailers with bricks and mortar premises, many of whom were hoping for a final flourish to 2024 and a good Christmas to help weather increasing costs and tide them over the leaner months early in the new year.

“That said, we await the publication of our sales monitor later this month to see what it meant for actual retail sales as there is rarely an exact correlation with shopper footfall. After all, a third of non-food retail sales are purchased online and retailers are adept at harnessing technology to get through to consumers who may not have the inclination or time to travel to shops.

“This remains a period of significant flux for retail,” he added. “Weak footfall, sluggish demand, rising government-mandated cost pressures, and an uncertain outlook are all weighing on stores. The structural, economic, and regulatory changes affecting retail show few signs of abating.”

Andy Sumpter, a retail consultant for Sensormatic Solutions, said: “While December saw some flurries of festive footfall around a few key trading days, overall, the picture was filled with much less sparkle as shopper traffic remained subdued in what should have been the highlight of the Golden Quarter. Retailers will now need to look afresh to 2025 and chart a course to adopt innovative strategies to reverse this trend or maximise the sales potential of fewer visitors.”

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