Scottish retail footfall rises in May as consumers embrace shopping centres and weekday visits

Retail footfall in Scotland rose by a healthy 1.7% in May compared to last year, making it one of the UK’s strongest performing nations. This growth reflects a confident consumer base and continued momentum amongst lingering economic caution, as well as a potential increase in tourism.

Scotland’s shopping centres emerged as the clear winners in May, which saw footfall surge by 3% year on year. Retail parks and high streets also enjoyed uplifts of 1.4% and 1.2%, respectively demonstrating a wider recovery across destinations and a sign that consumer appetite is growing for in-person retail experiences.

Month on month, Scottish retail footfall rose modestly by 0.4%. However, this growth was mainly driven by the school half term break at the end of May, which delivered a 0.4% week on week rise. Without this seasonal surge, footfall could have flatlined or even declined and continues to reinforce the importance of holiday periods in sustaining retail traffic.

Weekday footfall in Scotland outperformed the weekend for another month, rising by 1.3% compared to May 2024. This supports the ongoing shift in consumer routines as more people return to the office and combine their commutes with retail and leisure visits. MRI Software’s Central London ‘Back to Office’ benchmark reported a 2.4% uplift in weekday activity, suggesting similar trends are likely influencing Scottish city centres. Weekend footfall rose by 0.5% year on year, marking the third consecutive month of weekend growth. This uplift may suggest that longer, warmer days are encouraging consumers to combine their weekend leisure time with trips to local landmarks, especially in destination cities like Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen.

Despite positive footfall trends, sentiment on the ground appears to be much more reserved. Insights from MRI Software’s Insights from the Inside* revealed that 61.2% of retailers reported lower sales during the early May bank holiday compared to last year, with 65.8% expecting softer trading through the half term break. Rising operational costs are beginning to bite, and the knock-on effect is being felt at the till as higher prices are passed onto consumers, adding to the ongoing cost of living pressures.

As Scotland and the rest of the UK head into a packed summer of music and sporting events, retail leaders have a golden opportunity to maximise footfall and spend. With high-profile events like Beyoncé’s London tour and Wimbledon on the horizon, UK cities are likely to experience surges in footfall. Historical trends suggest UK cities benefit from this seasonal uplift, and Scottish destinations can also capitalise by being prepared operationally for in-region summer events. As consumer habits continue to shift towards retail destinations that offer more than just shopping – a blend of retail with food, entertainment and experience may well remain front of mind for families. With strong performance from larger shopping centres during half term, there’s clear demand for multi-purpose retail destinations. The challenge now is to sustain that momentum from the May half term holiday into June and beyond.

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