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Last week, the latest MRI Software data revealed that UK retail footfall was becoming \u201cincreasingly fluid,\u201d as the sector witnessed a varied picture over August.<\/span><\/p>\n Total footfall from 2 to 30 August nudged up 0.1 per cent month-on-month and 1 per cent year-on-year.<\/span><\/p>\n While shopping centres saw footfall rise 2.3 per cent and retail parks climbed 0.8 per cent, the high street declined 1.2 per cent over the period.<\/span><\/p>\n The figures were highly impacted by the fifth UK heatwave of the year last month, as well as back to school shopping, which \u201chelped UK retail destinations during a disruptive month\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s safe to say that the weather has had a significant impact on the UK\u2019s bricks-and-mortar stores in recent weeks.<\/p>\n High streets were hit by the heat on 13 August, when footfall plunged 9.5 per cent week-on-week and 8.6 per cent year-on-year. Despite this, coastal destinations saw visitors increase 2.4 per cent week-on-week.<\/span><\/p>\n Contrastingly, as heavy rain and flooding arrived in the UK during the last week of August, there was a 3 per cent week-on-week decline in high street footfall.<\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile, shopping centre visitors rose 2.4 per cent and retail park footfall was up 1.4 per cent.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis is creating a growing gap between destinations that simply provide places to shop and those that provide compelling reasons to visit, making relevance and adaptability more important than ever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Speaking to Retail Gazette<\/em>, Matthews says there are \u201ca lot of external factors\u201d behind this increasing fluidity, with \u201cthe biggest one being weather conditions\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n She highlights that coastal towns benefitted during the heat on 13 August because \u201cconsumers wanted to make the most of the sun\u201d and \u201cthey probably wanted a cooler environment,\u201d which was \u201cto the detriment of high streets\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n However, she points out: \u201cDuring the final week of the month, the heavy rain and flooding also had a negative impact on high street footfall.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s becoming fluid in the sense that people are choosing where is most convenient for them to go, and what\u2019s going to benefit them,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen we say it\u2019s becoming increasingly fluid, we\u2019re seeing it move from destination to destination based on the consumer\u2019s preference, depending on the external factors that are driving it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n CI&T global director retail strategy and insights Melissa Minkow also says \u201cthere are several reasons\u201d behind the fluidity.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFirst, because consumers are such omnichannel shoppers now, they are moving between online and offline channels seamlessly,\u201d she explains.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis heightened accessibility, where retailers are available to shoppers via so many different avenues enables more flexible decision-making and fluctuating brick and mortar engagement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAdditionally, retailers are increasingly leveraging technology to update prices and offer more discounts in real-time, so shoppers are taking advantage of those deals as they come.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Epos Now chief operating officer Richard Nolan argues that it is \u201cno surprise footfall is becoming more fluid\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis August alone saw shoppers pulled towards coastal spots during the heatwave, then away from high streets when the rain hit, demonstrating how dependent physical retail is on the weather,\u201d he points out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAdd into that the cost-of-living pressures and the ease of online browsing, and you have a difficult landscape for businesses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFor brick-and-mortar retail, that unpredictability makes most parts of trade tougher, from marketing, staffing and stock, never mind selling, at the minute trade can swing high and low for reasons well outside their control.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, he assures: \u201cAs ever, British retailers show themselves to be a resilient bunch, finding ways to make each visit count by staying upbeat and demonstrating the unmatched experience of a physical store.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In a similar vein, Matthews says UK bricks-and-mortar retailers can adapt to the growing fluidity they\u2019re seeing by \u201chaving a compelling reason for people to visit their destination\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThat could be investments in activations or events. We\u2019ve seen a number of shopping centers do a sort of seaside simulation this year as well and that\u2019s a really great way to get shoppers into their destination.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Despite a challenging August, demand for back-to-school shopping provided UK retailers with \u201ca boost,\u201d with 50 per cent of store managers surveyed by MRI Software witnessing \u201cmomentum build throughout August\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Matthews reaffirms that \u201cit is an important factor\u201d for UK retail stores.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFamilies need to buy the clothing, footwear, stationery, and other essentials,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThese purchases generate additional visits to the retail, food, and leisure destinations.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt could be an activity that\u2019s done online, but there\u2019s an element of children needing to be able to try on these items before they purchase them.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDestinations that offer all of these stores under one roof or in one place will benefit from back-to-school shopping.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n She adds that \u201cprice\u201d is \u201ca key differentiator in today\u2019s hyper-competitive market,\u201d meaning \u201cin-store discounts will drive conversion\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn addition to being so price-sensitive, consumers are really solution-driven in their shopping pursuits,\u201d she adds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cRetailers should ensure they have knowledgeable sales associates in stores ready to answer shoppers\u2019 questions so they feel confident they\u2019re buying the right products for their back to school needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cRetailers could also offer special delivery services just for the back to school season, where if consumers spend a certain amount or buy certain quantities, the items will be available for delivery before school begins.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cFootfall is becoming increasingly fluid\u201d<\/h6>\n
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\n<\/picture>\nCommenting on the data, MRI Software retail insights analyst Jenni Matthews explained: \u201cFootfall is becoming increasingly fluid, with consumers quick to change their plans based on factors such as weather, convenience and local experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Shutterstock,](\"https:\/\/www.retailgazette.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/shutterstock_2534128121.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/b>\u201cA compelling reason for people to visit\u201d<\/h6>\nThe importance of back-to-school shopping<\/h6>\n
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\n<\/picture>\nMinkow agrees that the back-to-school shopping season is \u201cextremely important\u201d in driving footfall rises for physical UK retailers.<\/span><\/p>\n