Welsh retail parks significantly outperformed shopping centres and Cardiff during August as consumers became increasingly selective about where they shopped.
Latest WRC-Sensormatic figures show overall retail footfall in Wales fell 1.3% year-on-year during August, reversing the flat performance recorded in July.
However, the headline figure masks a notable difference between different types of retail destination.
Retail parks recorded a relatively modest 0.3% year-on-year decline, making them the most resilient part of the Welsh retail market during the month.
Shopping centres experienced a 1.7% reduction, while Cardiff recorded a 1.9% fall in visitor numbers compared with August last year.
The figures suggest that convenience-led retail destinations continued to hold up better as households remained cautious about spending.
Retail park performance nevertheless deteriorated compared with July, when visitor numbers had been 2.4% higher than a year earlier.
Shopping centres moved in the opposite direction. Their 1.7% decline represented an improvement on the 2.9% fall recorded in July, while Cardiff's performance also improved significantly from a 4.2% decline the previous month.
Overall Welsh footfall, however, slipped back into negative territory after recording no annual change in July.
The figures came despite another period of warm weather, reinforcing concerns that favourable conditions alone are proving insufficient to significantly increase visits to Welsh retail destinations.
Sara Jones, Head of the Welsh Retail Consortium, said:
“The heat may have stayed, but Welsh footfall cooled. August's 1.3% fall shows that good weather alone is not enough to bring shoppers back when confidence remains under pressure.
“While this is a much softer decline than some of the sharper drops seen earlier in 2026, it shows that consumer confidence remains fragile.”
The performance comes at an important point for the retail industry, with businesses preparing for the final months of the year and the crucial Christmas trading period.
Inflation and continued pressure on household finances mean retailers will be looking not only at the number of people visiting stores but at how effectively those visits translate into spending.
Andy Sumpter, Head of Consulting & Analytics – EMEA for Sensormatic, said:
“While all retail destinations remained negative, Retail Parks proved the most resilient at -0.3%, while retailers within Shopping Centres fell -1.7%, suggesting consumers remained selective about where and how they shopped.
“With the crucial golden quarter fast approaching, retailers will take some encouragement from Wales' performance. However, with inflation now at a two-year high and household budgets remaining under pressure, the focus remains on converting footfall into meaningful spend during the industry's most important trading period.”
The Welsh Retail Consortium is also calling for the performance of town and city centres to be addressed as the Senedd returns and Wales' new town centres task force begins its work.
It wants action across business rates, parking, public transport, safety, vacant properties and investment in regeneration.
Sara Jones added:
“With Members returning to the Senedd this month and the new town centres task force now in place, this must be a moment for action, not delay.
“The task force must listen to businesses and deliver at pace, with clear commitments that help rebuild confidence, boost footfall and give retailers the conditions to invest and grow.”
Despite the overall decline, Wales performed more strongly than the wider UK during August.
But the contrasting results between retail parks, shopping centres and city-centre shopping suggest the challenge facing Welsh retail is increasingly about more than simply persuading consumers to shop – it is also about where they choose to do it.
