In total, footfall to all outlets, including retail parks, is expected to be up by 5.4% year on year, in contrast to a 1.9% fall over Easter 2016. This combined with poor weather, impacted footfall, which declined across retail destinations from Easter Saturday onwards.”She added: “Mild spring weather is forecast for this Easter, which falls after the national payday. However, while spending on household goods, and clothing and footwear was down, spending on recreation and culture was up by 7.2%, while hotels saw a 4% boost. Visa’s figures also underlined the shift towards online shopping, with virtual retailers recording a 8.2% increase in spending in March, while the high street reported a 1.3% fall. Chris Harle at PCA Predict said Easter Monday was typically one of the busiest days of the year for online shopping, and this year was unlikely to be different.

Source: The Guardian April 10, 2017 06:00 UTC