Shoppers 'hit the high streets with purpose' as footfall drops but spending rises

Shoppers splurged more on clothes and new shoes but took fewer trips to make their purchases because of the continued rise of online sites last month.

Shopper numbers fell 1.1% across retail destinations in August, dropping 2.8% on the high street and down 1.1% at shopping centres, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard Footfall Monitor said.

However, shoppers who did visit stores spent more per trip. Sales at stores open longer than a year rose 1.3% aided by strong fashion and footwear demand.

Springboard retail insights director Diane Wehrle said: “The drop in footfall in August in high streets and shopping centres – which has occurred in all but one month this year – underlines further that it is these locations that are vulnerable to the adverse effect of change occurring across our retail landscape as a consequence of online shopping.”

The BRC said there was a growing trend for shoppers to visit a store “knowing what they want to buy ahead of time, supported by online research”.