Footfall across Scotland’s retail destinations fell 10.2% month on month in September, the sharpest monthly decline recorded since 2010, MRI Software’s figures show. High streets recorded the largest drop, with visits down 14.2%.
The figures cover the five weeks from 30 August to 3 October 2026. Despite the steep monthly fall, overall footfall was 0.2% higher than in September 2025 (the previous year).
High streets were also the only destination category to record an annual decline, with footfall down 0.7%. Retail parks saw visits fall 6.2% month on month but rise 1.6% year on year, while shopping centres recorded a 5.8% monthly decline and a 0.6% annual increase.
MRI linked much of the monthly reduction to the end of the summer holidays and the return of school and commuting routines, which reduced the leisure-driven visits seen over the summer. It also suggested that the scale of the fall could reflect both a particularly strong summer, including several heatwaves, and greater caution over household budgets.
Its separate Insights from the Inside survey found that 76% of store managers reported a decline in in-store spending following the return to school. The weekly survey gathers responses from more than 700 store managers about consumer behaviour and its effect on visits and spending.
The survey also found that 82% of managers reported back-to-school spending continuing later into September than usual. MRI suggested this could reflect families spreading purchases over a longer period as they manage household costs.
Almost six in ten store managers reported earlier-than-expected interest in seasonal products. MRI said this could indicate that some shoppers were already preparing for Christmas, although it identified budgeting, promotions and concerns about future household costs as possible motivations rather than established causes.
Weekend footfall in Scotland was 2% higher year on year, compared with a 0.2% increase during weekdays. MRI interpreted the stronger weekend performance as a sign that consumers were continuing to make visits linked to leisure and planned occasions.
Looking ahead to October, MRI expects Halloween and early festive shopping to influence visits. It identified rising fuel costs, higher energy bills from October and uncertainty around the Autumn Budget as potential pressures on spending decisions.
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This behaviour sits against a backdrop of improving consumer sentiment. Confidence has continued to strengthen during recent months, according to Nielsen IQ, with consumers feeling more positive about their household finances and the wider economy. However, significant pressures remain. Rising fuel costs, higher energy bills from October and uncertainty surrounding the Autumn Budget all have the potential to influence spending decisions in the months ahead.
