New analysis of weekly retail footfall data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals how stable shopper numbers were across UK regions during the summer, with Scotland showing the biggest week-to-week variations for the second consecutive year.
The research, conducted by point of sale provider Epos Now, compared ONS/BT Active Intelligence weekly footfall figures for June to August in 2025 and 2026. It measured two factors for each UK region, excluding Northern Ireland: how much weekly footfall values varied relative to their average level over the period (stability), and how footfall this summer compared to the 2023 levels the ONS index uses as a baseline (growth).
Scotland and London lead regional differences
Scotland’s weekly footfall varied by 6.55% on average in summer 2026, up from 6.22% in summer 2025. Footfall began summer 2026 slightly below its 2023 baseline before rising to 20% above it by mid-August, a rise that could have been driven by events such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. On average, Scottish retail saw weekly footfall increase by 5.49% against the 2023 average, compared to 2.84% growth per week in summer 2025.
London’s weekly footfall was 17.5% above the 2023 average, with fairly stable figures varying by 3.44% from its summer average. Footfall in the capital was at its highest between 29 June and 19 July.
East of England shows stability, northern regions decline
The East of England recorded some of the most stable weekly footfall figures, varying by 2.4% from its summer average, alongside growth of 4.71% from the 2023 indexed average. This growth is down from the 7.3% weekly average increase the region saw in 2025.
Despite low variations in weekly footfall, the North East, North West, and Yorkshire recorded declines in weekly footfall against their 2023 baseline through summer 2026. The North West saw average weekly footfall fall by 2.6% from 2023’s average, the North East a 4% decline, and Yorkshire a 5% decrease.
Jacyn Heavens, chief executive at Epos Now, commented: “Footfall across retail has seen fluctuations through the summer months caused by extreme heat and seasonal sporting events, however, the number of regions showing growth on the 2023 averages that the ONS benchmark against shows promising hope for highstreets, retail parks and the like. As we move into the golden quarter of the year for retail, it’s important that retailers focus on understanding and using their real time sales data to forecast for the likes of footfall, stock, and staffing.”
