Stores experienced a “fallow” month in February as visits by shoppers fell again and Valentine’s day did not have its usual draw, according to the latest figures.
Total Scottish footfall fell by 3.2% year-on-year (YoY) in February, down from a 2.7% drop in January, data from SRC-Sensormatic IQ showed.
Shopping centre visits decreased by 1.3% in February in Scotland, 0.1 percentage points better than January.
Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, said: “February saw a collision course of disruptive forces negatively impacting store traffic, meaning UK store visits dipped to their lowest ebb since the pandemic.
“Prior to any energy price cap reduction, and with squeezed spending budgets, the confirmation of the UK’s technical recession in 2023 appears to have weakened consumer confidence.
“The wettest February on record probably didn’t help, and even Valentine’s Day, which usually provides a frisson of footfall, failed to woo shoppers into store to the extent it normally does.
“With the Bank of England signalling the UK’s economy may already be recovering from what it describes as a mild recession, retailers will be hoping signs of an upturn will translate into store traffic and spend, with many looking towards the prospect of an early Easter in March to bring about a change of fortunes.”
The figures showed that in February footfall in Edinburgh increased by a “puny” 0.2%, while in Glasgow it fell by 4.6%.
David Lonsdale, SRC director, said: “February was a fallow month for shopper footfall in Scotland with visits to stores weakening a touch further.
“Overall foot-traffic to retail destinations fell for a fifth successive month, albeit it perked up in the lead up to Valentine’s Day.
“The figures suggest there has been as yet little discernible uplift to store visits from the UK Government’s cut in employee national insurance contributions which were introduced in January.
“Glasgow witnessed its best performance for three months, albeit still down almost 5% on a year ago.
“Edinburgh eked out a puny but nonetheless welcome further improvement in footfall, however this was at its weakest level since Covid-era restrictions ended almost two years ago.”