Ipsos reports a delay in Christmas rush following Black Friday
Heading into the final week before Christmas, retail footfall is slightly down against forecast, according to the latest Retail Traffic Index data published by Ipsos Retail Performance.
Commenting on the latest figures, Dr. Tim Denison, Director of Retail Intelligence at Ipsos Retail Performance said: “Last week (w/c 8th December) was something of a surprise following the first fortnight of the month which fell in line with predictions. Footfall decreased by -1.8% week-on-week and by -10.6 per cent against the same week of last year. We would normally expect to see slight growth week-on-week in Week 3, before building again sharply to its crescendo on Super Saturday in the final full week before Christmas.
“We are not overly concerned at this point, but this is the week that really matters as it will shape the outcome of the Christmas campaign. Anything short of a 12.5 per cent lift in footfall against last week would signify a disappointing end to another difficult year for retailers. The jury is out where we will end up”
