RETAIL parks in the north are "underperforming" according to the latest report on footfall figures.
The number of people taking to high streets and shopping centres and destinations continued to rise last month, according to a report by the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium (NIRC) and Springboard.
However, footfall at out of town retail destinations in the north was in stark contrast to those in Britain, the report found.
Footfall across Northern Ireland increased 1.2 per cent March compared to the same month last year.
It followed a similar rise in February and put the average rise in footfall across north at 2.4 per cent of the last 12 months.
Footfall rose at all three shopping sectors - high street, shopping centres and retail parks - however, the 0.7 per cent rise at out-of-town parks was well below the 3.8 per cent average increase across the UK as a whole.
In fact, retail parks in the north have seen a 0.3 per cent decline in shopper numbers since January.
Diane Wehrle, marketing and insights director at Springboard, which compiled the figures, said: "The underperformance of retail parks in Northern Ireland is of particular interest as across the UK as a whole they have an ongoing and accelerating attractiveness to shoppers - a result of a number of changes in both their format as many become more leisure oriented, and their role as key click and collect points for online transactions.
"This has resulted in continuous positive footfall growth averaging 2.1 per cent over the last quarter across the UK, however, in Northern Ireland this does not appear to be the case, with a drop in footfall in retail parks since January 2015 of 0.3 per cent."
Two of the north's best known retail parks, The Outlet in Banbridge and Junction One outside Antrim, have appeared to change focus from retail in recent times.
Earlier this year, Junction One bosses unveiled a £1.25 investment in the centre due to relocation and expansion of current stores while it also welcomed three new tenants - two of them food outlets.
The move away from retail and into the food sector echoes similar consolidation plans revealed last year at the Outlet.
They included plans for space for a new cinema, restaurants and other leisure facilities in a "mixed use" strategy predicted to create 200 jobs.
NIRC director Aodhán Connolly said the overall figures for Northern Ireland were "heartening".
"Retailers are clearly working hard to attract custom through improved service, pricing and promotions but whether this - coupled with encouraging news of late on rising employment and wages - translates into a greater propensity to spend in shops or on-line remains to be seen," he said.
"The outcome of the UK general election is only three weeks away, and the retail industry in Northern Ireland is looking to the next government to deliver a convincing plan to boost business and consumer confidence."