Retailers in Wales have reported the highest fall in shoppers of any UK nation, according to new research from the Welsh Retail Consortium. The data for May shows a 5% year-on-year decline in footfall across high streets, shopping centres, and retail parks.
In comparison, Scotland saw footfall increase by 0.4% year-on-year, while Northern Ireland experienced a 1% decline and England a 3% drop. Among all UK nations and regions, only the south-west of England recorded a larger fall than Wales, at 5.3%.
City and location breakdown
Year-on-year footfall in Welsh shopping centres was down 6.3%, while retail parks saw a 2.7% decline. Among core UK cities, Cardiff had the second biggest drop in May at 6.9%, behind Liverpool which fell by 9.4%. Only two cities saw footfall increase compared to last May: Belfast with a marginal 0.1% rise and Edinburgh with a 2.5% increase.
Industry reaction
Sara Jones, Head of the Welsh Retail Consortium, said: “This continues a worrying run of decline in 2026. More concerning still, Wales has lagged behind the other UK nations on footfall recovery in five of the last six months. That underlines just how fragile consumer confidence remains, with households still under pressure and spending subdued. Hot weather is also likely to have diverted shoppers away from more planned retail trips, but the bigger picture is clear: Welsh shops are facing a tough trading environment, with no meaningful recovery yet in sight.”
She added: “Against that backdrop, retailers will welcome the commitment made by the First Minister in the Senedd to explore business rates reform through the town centres taskforce. But with footfall falling and Wales lagging behind every other nation, the priority now has to be delivery. In its first 100 days, the Welsh Government must move quickly to back high streets through meaningful rates reform, a planning system that supports investment, and a joined-up strategy that gives retailers the confidence to invest in stores, jobs and town centres across Wales.”
Expert analysis
The research was conducted for the Welsh Retail Consortium by Sensormatic Solutions. Retail consultant Andy Sumpter commented: “May proved a challenging month for Welsh retail, with footfall falling 5% year on year, the weakest performance in the UK. While brighter weather earlier in the month may have offered some support, the late May heatwave appears to have dampened activity, limiting recovery as the month progressed.”
He continued: “Consumer confidence may be edging up slightly, but it remains fragile, with geopolitical uncertainty continuing to weigh on discretionary spend. Shopping behaviour also continues to evolve. While visits to retailers within shopping centres remained firmly negative, overall visits to shopping centres performed more strongly - highlighting that consumers are still visiting destinations but engaging more selectively once there.”
Sumpter concluded: “While May reinforces the pressures facing Welsh retail, it also points to changing behaviour rather than a complete withdrawal from physical spaces. For retailers, the challenge and the opportunity lie in converting these more cautious, considered visits into meaningful spend, by delivering the right mix of value, relevance and experience as we move towards the summer months.”
