Wales's pre-Christmas lockdown saw footfall levels plummet in December - down more than 50% on last year.
First Minister Mark Drakeford placed Wales into Alert Level 4 on December 20 as Covid cases spiked.
This saw non-essential retail close in a "disastrous" end of the year.
The average 海角视频 drop was 46.1% as large parts of England were also put into lockdown by Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of Christmas.
Headline figures for Wales:
- Year on year Welsh footfall decreased by 52.3% in December, a 11.5 percentage point increase from November. This is below the 海角视频 average decline of 46.1%.
- Year on year footfall in Cardiff decreased by 54% in December, an 11.3 percentage point decline from November.
- Wales saw the most pronounced Shopping Centre footfall decline of all regions, at -59.1.
- After an encouraging start to the month, weekly footfall fell precipitously in the last two weeks of December due to the pre-Christmas lockdown.
Sara Jones, Head of Policy and External Affairs, Welsh Retail Consortium, said: “It was a disastrous end to the year for Welsh shops, with the nation experiencing the 海角视频’s greatest fall in shopper footfall.
"Despite some cautiously positive signs after the Welsh firebreak any hopes of a golden quarter for Welsh retail were dealt a hammer blow by the early pre-Christmas lockdown, forcing Welsh shops to shut during what should have been their busiest period.
“It is crucial we see a retail recovery plan from the Welsh Government, one which identifies both confidence boosting measures whilst addressing the financial and regulatory burden that retailers face.
"In the short term the priority must now be providing certainty over business rates bills, as it stands from April retailers will be forking out record breaking sums which will question their viability once they are permitted to re-open.
Most Read
“With the nation now in full lockdown, and so called non-essential shops remaining shuttered, it is time for decision makers to re-group, to re-assess and to identify ways to revitalise the Welsh retail industry given the key role we can play in the economic recovery of the nation.”
Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant – EMEA of ShopperTrak, said: "Not even the advent of festive season could turn around the fortunes of the High Street in December.
"As infection rates soared, fears of a mutated virus spread and Christmas gatherings were called into question or cancelled, it was really was a case of ‘the strain that stole Christmas’ for retailers, as footfall plummeted to nearly -50% year-on-year.
“December had started promisingly, with shopper counts recovering at the start of the month, boosted by shoppers’ get-ahead gift buying.
Sign up to the BusinessLive Wales newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn
As well as an in-depth early morning newsletter, we will be sending out regular breaking news email alerts. To sign up to this service
And, follow us on to catch the latest stories and to network with the Welsh business community.
"But footfall soon fell away as 海角视频 consumers faced the prospect of tougher restrictions – from tighter tiers, to impending lockdowns and smaller shorted Christmases.
"While this recovery was short-lived, it did at least serve to save some valuable Christmas trade.”
To have your say on this story please use our comments section at the top of this article