Although good news from this week’s BRC-ShopperTrak Footfall Monitor for July 2020 revealed the second consecutive month of sales growth since non-essential shops re-opened in England on June 15 – with total retail sales increasing by 3.2%, up from 0.5% last year – the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) chief executive, Helen Dickinson, remained realistic.
“July was the first full month in which shops were allowed to open in all parts of the UK. While retailers will welcome the improvement in footfall across all shopping destinations, it remains well down on pre-coronavirus levels,” she pointed out. “The reopening of pubs, cafes and restaurants has also provided some additional footfall to many high streets, including a small boost to local retailers. But it remains too soon to say how well retail will recover in the coming months and clearly remains a difficult trading period for many physical retailers.”
She said that much will depend how fast consumer demand returns, adding: “We now need Government to play their part by providing clear plans for schools, transport, and office working, all of which impact the way we shop. The safety of the public is a top priority and we believe clear communication will help build public confidence and help bolster local high streets and shopping centres during the summer months.”
Top: People are slowly gaining confidence in returning to the high street.
