FOOTFALL across Northern Ireland’s high streets and retail hubs was 5% lower last month than during November 2022, new analysis suggests.
Just days after a Northern Ireland wide consumer survey revealed around 50% of households expect to spend less this Christmas, the latest footfall monitor from the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium (NIRC) suggest the north’s retail hubs are already feeling the pinch.
The footfall data, compiled by data firm Sensormatic IQ, indicates town and city centres are the worst affected.
While footfall in shopping centres was down 0.5% in November compared with the same month last year, in Belfast, activity was down by 7.6%.
Overall it left footfall activity across Northern Ireland during November 4.9% lower than last year.
It compares to the average decline across the UK of 0.7% year-on-year.
Neil Johnston, director of the NI Retail Consortium, said the message from the data is clear.
“Consumers are still cautious about getting out to the shops. Retailers are struggling and we need two things urgently.
“An executive needs to be formed at Stormont and the first decision they need to make is to freeze the regional rate,” he said.
“There was a modest improvement in footfall the past month, however, compared with the rest of the UK the situation is weaker in Northern Ireland.”
Earlier this week, the latest quarterly Credit Union Northern Ireland Consumer Sentiment Survey suggested that both retailers and hospitality businesses around the north face a challenging festive period.
Some 51% of those surveyed said they will spend less on presents this Christmas, while 52% will cut back on nights out.
“While we hope that things will continue to improve as we enter the Christmas shopping period, we are calling on politicians at Stormont to bring business rates down in line with what retailers face in England, Scotland and Wales,” said Neil Johnston.
“Given that rates in England and possibly Wales and Scotland are going up this year a freeze by Stormont in the regional rates would narrow the gap considerably.”
Separate research published this week by the north’s Consumer Council showed that food and non-alcoholic beverages continue to make up the largest proportion of the lowest earning households’ basic spending each week – around 21%.
The consumer body’s latest household expenditure tracker suggests the north’s lowest earning households are left with less than £30 per week after all essential spending.
It equates to £26.81 per week on average for discretionary purchases.
The same report found that Northern Ireland’s highest earning households have around 23 times more discretionary income left to spend every week compared to the lowest earning households.
