Ada Analysis Shows UK OOH Audiences Boosted by a Return to Retail

With non-essential shops having opened across England the week commencing 15th of June, our latest data from Ada for that week, shows a significant WoW impact on footfall across Shopping Malls, Department stores and Supermarkets with a boost to overall population movement and travel, as roadside traffic returns to normal levels in some regions.

Footfall Trends & Roadside Traffic: Post-Lockdown Impact

Shopping Malls saw the most significant WoW impact on audience footfall with a +27% increase versus the previous week as UK consumers headed to non-essential shops for the first time. Footfall is rising and at -47% below the baseline average.  Department store footfall saw a significant WoW increase of +19%, bringing footfall to -33% of the baseline average. Department stores are outperforming malls on footfall suggesting that the opening of non-essential shops has encouraged consumers back onto the high street as they visit stores in their local community and those offering a one stop shop. Other notable uplifts were seen in Supermarkets where footfall was up WoW by 7% and is now only 23% below the baseline.

More broadly, population movement continues to rise as does roadside traffic levels which saw a WoW increase of 8% and is now only 15% below the standard baseline for the period. Many regions such as Border, the North East, and the South and South East of England, are close to pre-lockdown traffic levels. The South West of England is exceeding baseline traffic levels by +19% thanks to exceptional weather which saw many Brits take advantage of the coastline and the re-opened National Parks following long stretches spent indoors.

Younger audiences are particularly back to critical OOH levels and driving the retail recovery. Average transaction values in one shopping centre (Centre:MK in Milton Keynes) have been four times higher than pre-lockdown. This fits with JCDecaux estimates that consumers have made an average 485 savings during the lockdown period and people are keen to treat themselves to both to, fashion and luxuries.

Emily Alcorn, Head of Insight at Talon said: “It’s really promising to see roadside OOH viewing almost return to pre-Covid19 levels across many regions of Britain. The reopening of non-essential retail has been another welcome boost to OOH audiences with exposure to small formats and street furniture rising fast – great news for advertisers looking to reconnect with audiences as they go about their day. We expect to see these figures rise again in line with the reopening of restaurants, bars, and cinemas, as the UK begins its phased recovery.”