Habits are changing but shoppers back in stores

Shoppers are slowly returning to the stores, but habits are changing after more than two years of restrictions.

Commuters, tourists and even a vaccination clinic have helped boost retail footfall in the centre of Inverness.

Those who venture out are spending more and changing when they shop, with Saturdays no longer the busiest day in the Highland capital.

The Eastgate Shopping Centre in Inverness is on a par with new Scottish figures released yesterday showing footfall is 6.3 percentage points better than March, but down 14.8% on 2019.

Shopping centre footfall was down 20% on 2019, but improved on the March 2022 figure which showed a decline of 32%.

The data was compiled by the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and Sensormatic Solutions.

SRC director David Lonsdale said: “April saw a more promising set of figures for visits to stores in Scotland.

“Buoyed by the easing of Covid restrictions and the return of commuters and tourism, the uplift in shopper footfall was particularly noticeable in our city centres and shopping centres.

“Of course, one swallow does not make a summer, and it remains true that visits to stores are still somewhat shy of prepandemic levels.”

He said several indicators, such as retail sales, shop vacancies and shopper footfall, are pointing in a more favourable direction.

The retail analyst added: “The challenge will be to sustain this improvement in the months ahead as economic headwinds affecting both consumer and business sentiment and spending power exert their grip.”

Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, says the figures show only store visits rather than sales.

He added: “As shoppers feel the pinch of the rising cost of living and face downward pressures on their disposable incomes, conversions and basket sizes risk being reduced.

“So retailers, especially non-discounters or value brands, will need to work even harder to earn share of wallet and shopper loyalty in-store.”

Jackie Cuddy, manager of the Eastgate Centre, said their own data showed that performance was very much in line with the Scottish average figures for March and April.

She said in most cases sales are outperforming footfall, with some retailers achieving sales figures equal to 2019.

“Shoppers are making fewer visits but spending more per visit so retailers’ conversions and AVT (average value per transaction) are high.

“In the Highlands this is probably compounded by the geographical location and the cost of petrol.

“Retailers are also seeing tourists starting to return and at a recent tenants meeting most felt that April had been a turning point.”

She said retailers are noticing local people are buying more now for holidays, with at least one travel agent seeing a rise in bookings.

An NHS Highland vaccination clinic set up in the centre has also boosted numbers.

Ms Cuddy added: “Retailers have reported that a lot of people visiting it, who are out for the first time, then go on to shop.”

Habits have also changed, with people shopping on different days.

Ms Cuddy said: “Saturdays are not now the best trading day, this can as easily be a Tuesday.

“Maybe people have reassessed their values and are spending weekend with family.”

But some shoppers have still to return to any kind of routine that they may have had before the pandemic.

She added: “There is definitely a core of people still not coming out.

“Every day retailers see somebody who says it is their first time out.”‘

TRENDS: Jackie Cuddy, manager of the Eastgate Centre, says shopping habits seem to be changing with Saturday no longer the busiest day.