The SPSL Retail Weathermap
Launched in January 2002, the UK Retail Traffic Weathermap, to give it its full title, appears every month on SPSL's web site. The three charts, which are created exclusively by SPSL, are designed to show how the volume of shopper traffic entering retail stores is changing every month.
They provide a highly accurate barometer of shopper activity and a reflection of their true levels of economic confidence. The sample base now covers over 1.02 billion shopper visits per annum to more than 4,600 retail outlets across high streets, retail parks, designer outlets and shopping centres/malls every month throughout the UK. The sample is designed to be representative not only of location types, but also of the split between retail sectors (excluding grocery, CTN and minor retail services) as published by the ONS. This is done to ensure that the store sample is not biased to any particular retail sectors and to be representative of non-food retailing. The sample size and composition is reviewed and updated 3 times a year to ensure that it remains a true and current reflection of UK retailing. The maps are divided into 5 areas based on composites of ONS reporting regions. These are Scotland and Northern Ireland, The North (comprising The North East, North West and Yorkshire/The Humber), The Midlands (comprising The West Midlands, East Midlands, and Eastern areas), Wales and The South West and London and The South East.
Map One - this shows the percentage change last month in relation to same month last year; it is measured by region and also across the UK and is an ideal indicator of retail confidence.
Map Two - this shows the percentage change last month in relation to the previous month. The regional figures are shown as variations from the national figure; this highlights the regional differences better because absolute differences between regions tend to be small. The month-on-month trends are an ideal indicator of seasonality.
Map Three - this shows the percentage change predicted for the coming month based on data from the past five years. As with month-on-month trends, it shows regional figures as variations from the national figure and, again, it highlights the regional differences better because absolute differences between regions tend to be small. This forecast facilitates planning and benchmarking.
Commentary - this shows changes within specific retail sectors and is an ideal indicator of competitive positioning.