UK’s Black Friday footfall drops against 2024 but is sharply higher week on week

UK footfall dropped 3% year on year on Black Friday, Sensormatic Solutions ShopperTrak Analytics. But despite that drop, footfall was up 54.9% week on week and was 78.5% higher on average compared to the previous two Fridays. 

Meanwhile, shopper traffic in the week leading up to Black Friday rose 1.1% year on year.

Sensormatic said that the annual decline on the day itself showed “consumer caution and constrained purchasing power”.

But there was clear evidence of shoppers spreading their spend across more days given that increase in footfall in the lead-up to the big day. 

It said that on Black Friday itself, the data shows retail parks saw the greatest uptick in store visits, rising 0.2% year on year. But shopping centres were the top-performing retail destinations week on week, with footfall rising 63.8% compared to the week before.

That year-on-year decline on the day but increase week on week was echoed by data from another company tracking footfall, MRI Software.

It said retail footfall up until 5pm Friday revealed an 11.3% uplift across all UK retail destinations compared to Friday the previous week, led by a 14.7% rise in shopping centres. This was followed by high streets (12.5%) and retail parks (5.2%). Historic towns led the charge with a 24.1% increase week on week, likely fuelled by festive markets and attractions.

Yet the cost-of-living squeeze appeared to be weighing on overall activity. Retail footfall remained 3.3% lower compared to Black Friday last year with high streets (down 4.3%) and shopping centres (down 4.4%) leading this decline whereas retail parks noticed a marginal 0.1% rise in visits. 

Back with Sensormatic, Andy Sumpter, its EMEA Retail Consultant, said: “Consumer caution is disrupting demand patterns, shifting buying behaviours and creating spend hesitancy. This is due in part to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Autumn Budget, which landed just two days before Black Friday.” 

UK spending across the entire Black Friday weekend had been predicted to rise 4.2% to reach £9.5 billion.

Meanwhile, Landsec, the owner of Bluewater, Liverpool One, Gunwharf Quays and more, forecast that its properties would see spend of over £95 million across Black Friday week with health & beauty “the standout category for the second consecutive year”. The sector has been a strong performer throughout 2025, “driven by consumers seeking affordable luxuries, purchasing small but often at an average of £23 per transaction”. 

Clothing was also predicted to enjoy strong sales.

Last year, the landlord saw a 15% footfall rise and its outlet centres saw sales rising 55% (both week on week).