British Retail Traffic Dropped By 56.6 Pct In June

As consumer demand stays low even with the “turning point” of thousands of more shops reopening, retail traffic for June was significantly lower than the same month in 2019. Numbers from the retail experts at Springboard show that traffic throughout British shopping destinations dropped by 56.6 percent in June compared to the same month last year, NewsChain reported.

However, the group indicated that the figures showed improvement in the space, as they marked a rise from a 73.3 percent year-on-year drop in May. Traffic throughout all retail destinations for the week beginning on June 15 increased by 40 percent from the week before.

But Springboard noted that June 15, the date that nonessential shops reopened in the U.K., marked a “turning point” for merchants. Even so, high street traffic fell by 65.1 percent in June, with traffic in London plummeting 80.8 percent in comparison to June 2019.

Traffic at shopping centers dropped by 62.3 percent for June. Retail parks weren’t as hard-hit, with a drop in traffic of 32.2 percent as they continued reaping the rewards of having big grocers.

Springboard Insights Director Diane Wehrle said, per the report, “This is a sharp contrast with high streets and shopping centers, which rely on a blend of shoppers, workers, students, tourists and residents to fuel spending.”

In separate news, two big British retailers said they would eliminate more than 5,000 positions after realizing it was not probable that consumers would return to their old shopping habits after the pandemic.

Meanwhile, John Lewis could lose 1,300 jobs and close eight stores after an outlook showed that online shopping sales would compose as much as 70 percent of total sales this year and in 2021. Additionally, Boots, which is owned by Walgreens Boots Alliance, said it would eliminate 4,000 jobs and close 49 optician locations after shopper numbers fell 85 percent in April at the apex of coronavirus limitations.