UK retail footfall fell sharply in February as heavy rainfall and ongoing economic pressures discouraged shoppers from visiting physical stores, according to new figures from the British Retail Consortium and Sensormatic.

Total UK footfall declined by 4.7% year on year in February 2026, marking a significant downturn compared with the 0.6% fall recorded in January. High streets and shopping centres were hit hardest during the month, while retail parks proved slightly more resilient.

High street footfall dropped 5.4% year on year, a notable deterioration from the 1.9% decline seen in January. Shopping centre visits also fell sharply, down 5.5%, compared with a 0.8% decrease the previous month.

Retail parks performed comparatively better but still recorded a 3.1% fall in footfall, reversing the 1.1% growth recorded in January.

The downturn coincided with one of the wettest Februarys on record, which kept many consumers away from bricks-and-mortar retail destinations.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said the weather played a major role in the drop in shopper visits.

“One of the wettest Februarys on record saw shoppers shy away from in-store visits last month,” she said. “Footfall was down across all locations, with high streets and shopping centres hit hardest, a blow felt most keenly by clothing and footwear retailers.”

She added that every UK region experienced a decline in footfall, although some northern cities proved more resilient to the poor weather.

“Every UK region saw fewer shoppers, but some northern cities, more used to wet weather, proved more resilient,” Ms Dickinson said.

London was among the weakest-performing areas during the month, recording its steepest decline in footfall since April 2024, with visits dropping 6.3% year on year.

Ms Dickinson also called on the government to support struggling high streets through reforms to business rates as part of its proposed High Street Strategy.

“While the government can’t control the weather, it can help turn footfall around by incentivising local investment,” she said. “Its recently announced plan for a new High Street Strategy must look at outdated taxes such as business rates which for too long have held back our local communities. The strategy needs to recognise that raising so much tax revenue through property taxes is no longer sustainable.”

Across the UK nations, footfall declined in all regions during February. Northern Ireland recorded the smallest drop at 2.3%, followed by Scotland at 3.0%. England experienced a 5.0% decline, while Wales saw the steepest fall, down 5.8% year on year.

At a regional level, London recorded the largest drop at 6.3%, followed by the West Midlands at 5.9%, while both the East of England and Wales saw footfall fall 5.8%.

Some cities proved more resilient despite the difficult conditions. Bristol recorded the smallest decline at 1.6%, while Manchester and Edinburgh saw footfall fall 2.3% and 2.5% respectively.

By contrast, Birmingham experienced the steepest fall among major cities, with footfall declining 10.4% year on year, followed by Liverpool where visits dropped 8.5%.

Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA at Sensormatic, said the combination of severe weather and continued financial pressures created a challenging environment for retailers.

“February proved a more challenging month for UK retail, with footfall slipping further into decline and reversing the tentative progress seen in January,” he said.

“Exceptionally heavy rainfall – well above the seasonal average – kept shoppers away from high streets and retail destinations, driving a natural shift towards online shopping as consumers chose convenience and shelter from the downpours.”

Mr Sumpter added that broader economic pressures also continued to influence consumer behaviour.

“Continued food price inflation and rising unemployment continued to weigh on household budgets, making both discretionary trips and discretionary spending easier to delay,” he said.

Despite the difficult trading conditions, retailers may see an improvement in the coming weeks as seasonal events approach and weather conditions improve.

“With Mother’s Day on the horizon and the prospect of brighter, more inviting spring weather ahead, retailers will be hoping for a lift in shopper sentiment, and in footfall, as consumers re-engage and return to stores,” Mr Sumpter said.

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