Black Friday footfall up 4.6% on 2021

Results for the period up to 12pm on Black Friday, 25 November, showed that footfall across all UK retail destinations is +7.3% higher than last Friday, according to Springboard.

The winners so far were shopping centres where footfall is +13.9% higher than last week. Footfall is higher than last year also, +4.6% above Black Friday 2021 across all destinations but +8% higher in high streets despite the increase in footfall from last week of +4.2% not being as great as that in shopping centres.

Shoppers are heading to large city centres rather than smaller high streets, with footfall in Central London +11.1% higher than last week and +7.7% higher in city centres across the UK compared with a drop in footfall from last week of -3.2% in market towns.

Diane Wehle, insights director at Springboard, said: “The footfall data demonstrates that whilst trading conditions are challenging Black Friday is certainly not a disaster. We are also expecting footfall to strengthen this afternoon as those consumers who are working from home go shopping after lunch.

“The dry and sunny weather will also help drive up activity, as will the UK vs USA world cup match this evening as shoppers may well head into towns and cities and do some shopping and then watch the match from bars in town centres.”