MRI: July Sees Strongest Month-on-Month Retail Performance Since 2016

• Summer of sports, music and weather fuels strongest retail performance month on month since 2016 

July delivered a welcome boost for UK retail destinations, recording the strongest month-on-month footfall growth since July 2016. Across all retail destinations, footfall rose +5.5% month-on-month and +0.4% year-on-year, marking a significant turnaround from June and highlighting the impact that weather, major events and the start of the school summer holidays can have when they align. 

High streets led the monthly recovery, with footfall rising +7.3% month-on-month, while shopping centres increased +5.6% and retail parks +1.6%. However, the annual picture remained more mixed. High street footfall was marginally lower than last year (-0.5%), while shopping centres (+0.4%) and retail parks (+2.4%) moved into growth. Frequent heatwaves likely played a role, encouraging consumers to favour destinations offering indoor environments, leisure and hospitality options. 

The World Cup proved to be one of the clearest footfall drivers of the month as England progressed through the tournament. Match days consistently generated spikes in activity, not only in pubs and bars but across wider retail destinations. High street footfall built ahead of kick-off as consumers gathered in fan zones, hospitality venues and town centres, with celebrations often extending well into the evening and early hours of the morning as night time visits (8pm – 8am) soared +3.5% year on year in July. 

One of the most notable examples came following England's victory against Mexico, when high street footfall surged +143.6% year on year between midnight and 6am as communities gathered to celebrate. Market towns (+175.5% YoY) and historic towns (+159.9% YoY) saw particularly strong growth, highlighting how major sporting events have become community-led occasions that benefit local destinations, hospitality venues and the wider evening economy with the tournament estimating to have delivered a £7.6 billion boost to the UK economy overall. 

This aligns with broader consumer behaviour seen throughout July. People remain willing to head out when there is a compelling reason to do so, whether that be a football match, major concert, family outing or favourable weather. However, MRI Software's Insights from the Inside research found that only 20% of retailers reported seeing an increase in sales linked directly to the World Cup, suggesting the commercial benefit was felt most strongly by hospitality and experience-led businesses. 

Beyond sport, July was shaped by a packed calendar of live entertainment. BST Hyde Park, Harry Styles, Luke Combs, BTS-themed activations and a host of regional music events helped attract visitors into towns and cities throughout the month, while Central London benefitted from a combination of concerts, tourism and corporate activity seeing a +9.3% surge from June 2026. 

The month was not without its challenges as multiple heatwaves influenced where consumers chose to spend their time, often reducing visits to traditional town centres while benefiting destinations offering cooler environments and leisure attractions. Coastal towns were among the strongest performers, recording a +13.2% month-on-month uplift as consumers embraced day trips and staycation-style experiences. 

Summer activations also played an important role. From beach-themed experiences and interactive installations to family-focused events, destinations increasingly provided consumers with reasons to linger for longer. This is reflected in MRI Software's Insights from the Inside research, where 62% of retailers reported that summer activations have helped drive sales in recent weeks, demonstrating that experience-led programming is delivering tangible commercial benefits. 

Retail parks continued to benefit from changing consumer behaviour. Alongside seasonal purchases linked to warmer weather, blockbuster releases such as The Odyssey and Toy Story 5 likely supported in driving visits to destinations with cinema and leisure offerings, supporting a +2.4% year-on-year increase in footfall. 

Underlying much of July's success was a more positive consumer backdrop. According to NielsenIQ, consumer confidence improved by six points during the month, driven by a combination of sporting success, favourable weather and seasonal activities. 

Looking ahead, the key lesson from July is that consumers continue to reward destinations offering more than just shopping. The strongest-performing locations successfully blended retail, leisure, hospitality, entertainment and seasonal activations into a broader experience. As retailers begin turning their attention towards autumn trading and the Golden Quarter, understanding these patterns will become increasingly important. Footfall is becoming more closely linked to specific triggers such as weather, live events and major cultural moments. The retail leaders using current and historical trend data to anticipate those moments, adapt quickly and create compelling reasons to visit will be best positioned to maintain momentum through the second half of the year. 

“Consumers gave us a clear signal in July; they're willing to travel, stay longer and engage with physical destinations when there's a good reason to do so. The retailers and destinations that performed best weren't necessarily those with the biggest brands or the largest footprints, but those that created moments people wanted to be part of. That's a mindset worth taking into the Golden Quarter.” – Jenni Matthews, Retail Insights Analyst at MRI Software.

*A weekly survey of over 700 store managers which provides insights from the shop floor around how external factors and consumer behaviour are impacting both footfall and spending.

Source : MRI

Image : shutterstock / 1137631598 / William Barton

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