(Bloomberg) -- UK retail traffic slumped for a 12th consecutive month in July as shoppers chose to spend on holidays and leisure activities over small-ticket items.
The number of people entering stores fell 3.3% in July from a year ago, according to data from the British Retail Consortium and Sensormatic IQ released Friday. That exceeded the 2.3% decline the month before.
High street footfall rose 2.7% from a year ago, but that was offset by declines elsewhere, including a 3.9% slump in people entering shopping centers, according to the data. England had the greatest annual decline among the four nations that comprise the UK.
The findings reinforce indications of a shift in consumer behavior, with growing interest among Brits in spending on travel and leisure, said Helen Dickinson, head of the BRC. The UK election, held July 4, may also have reduced footfall, she said.
A PwC survey earlier this week said last-minute bookings helped to drive a fifth of Brits to spending more on trips.
While inflation has cooled, brick-and-mortar retailers are still struggling to lure shoppers back after higher prices and household bills ushered in a period of caution.
“It’s clear the long tail of the cost-of-living crisis is continuing to rattle consumer confidence and is likely to prompt spending caution for some time to come,” said Andy Sumpter, retail consultant for Sensormatic Solutions.
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