The UK non-food retail market rallied in October, posting the strongest year-on-year rise in footfall for the month since 2004.
According to Ipsos Retail Performance, which compiles the Retail Traffic Index of individual shoppers entering over 4,000 non-food retail stores across the UK, numbers were up 1.3% on October last year and up 5.7% on the previous month.

Ipsos say this marked gain will be welcomed by retailers as they move into the 'golden quarter'. It is a sign that both the economy and retail sector are moving in the right direction and will re-energise retailers' confidence looking ahead to Christmas.

However, it adds that in some quarters heavy discounting and unplanned promotional activity were rife and will have been largely responsible for the increase in traffic.

Northern England continued to lead the year-on-year charge amongst the regions, with a rise in footfall of 5.4%, enhancing the belief that the progressive decline in store footfall across the north in recent years has now been stemmed.

"After a disappointing September, it's good to see retail footfall bounce back immediately," commented Ipsos director Dr Tim Denison.

"Official sales figures show that Christmas 2013 was the best for the high street since 2004. With footfall seemingly back on the ascendency, this year is shaping up to be a shade better than 2013 and it couldn't come at a better time for retailers.

"All of the main indicators of consumer confidence are in an improved position. People are more content with their personal finances and job security, as indicated in the 6% rise in unsecured consumer credit in September."

The week commencing October 26 was the busiest of the month, with Halloween coinciding with half term for most of the country. Traffic that week was 1.2% busier year-on-year and up 16.6% on the week before.