Heatwave pushes shoppers towards shopping centres: RetailDetail highlights The Retail Factory footfall data

The Retail Factory (TRF) is in the press with striking footfall data on the impact of the heatwave on visitor behaviour during the first weeks of the 2026 summer sales. RetailDetail highlighted the figures, which show a clear shift in shopping behaviour. Over the first ten days of the sales, visitor numbers in shopping centres rose by 11.4% compared with the same period last year, while retail parks recorded a drop of 5.4%. Compared with 2024, shopping centres performed 12.8% better over the first two weeks, against a loss of 0.9% for retail parks.

Covered, climate-controlled space is proving to become a competitive advantage as soon as the mercury rises. For shopping centres, this confirms the strength of the experience economy: on hot days, visitors are looking not only for a purchase, but also for comfort and experience. For retail parks, the analysis shows just how important it is to closely monitor visitor flows and adjust in time based on objective data.

Read the full article on RetailDetail via the link below, or discover how we help shopping centres and retail parks with footfall intelligence. Curious about the full national index behind these figures? Get in touch and we will provide you with the detailed analysis.

Link to RetailDetail article