The UK's most stressful shopping cities

From sourcing a parking spot to grappling with heavy bags and contending with overcrowded areas, there are various stresses associated with a shopping trip, especially in the run-up to the festive season. So, it’s with this in mind that we’ve decided to see which areas across the UK are the most (and least) stressful for shoppers!

To do so we focused on seven different factors, including car parking options, the number of bars and restaurants, plus the amount of shopping centres and international visitors in each city. Once the data was collected, the factors were then normalised to provide each one with a score between 0 and 1. The normalised values were then summed, giving each city a total score out of 100!

So, without further ado, let’s dive into our ranking to see in which cities you’re set to have the most stressful shopping experience.

Reading is the most stressful shopping city

With a total score of 2.64, Reading earns the title of the most stressful UK city in which to shop. In terms of car parking locations, there are just 8 available (one of the lower figures on our list), so you’ll certainly want to arrive early to avoid the stress of missing out on a spot! Not only this, but with 457 restaurants and 164,000 international visitors yearly, you’re bound to be greeted by plenty of hustle and bustle.

Up next, we have London, with a total score of 3.09. London has 623 bars, 20,621 restaurants, and a whopping 16,118,000 international visitors yearly, so there’s no surprise you might feel slightly overwhelmed when heading out on a shopping expedition in the city. Having said this, there are 53 shopping centres to choose from, so you’ll have plenty of options when it comes to the location of your trip.

In third place is Coventry, with a score of 3.12. There are around 19 car parking locations in the city, one of the lower figures on our list, and with 133,000 international visitors, there’s no surprise people are feeling overwhelmed when shopping in Coventry.

Next up we have Birmingham, a city with a total score of 3.28. With 2020 restaurants and 72 bars dotted around, if you’re heading out to do a spot of shopping, it’s bound to get busy. Plus, you’ll find 13 shopping centres in Birmingham, many of which will be packed at peak times such as the run-up to Christmas.

Finally in fifth place is Edinburgh, with a total score of 3.28. With 1,796,000 international visitors flocking to the city yearly, there’s no shock its historic streets quickly fill with shoppers. You’ll also find 1,847 restaurants and 83 bars spread across the city.

Nottingham is the least stressful shopping city

Next, let’s take a moment to look at where in the UK you might be set to have a less stressful shopping experience. From ample parking spots to plenty of shopping centres, there are an array of factors contributing to the shopper-friendly reputations of the below locations.

Topping our list is Nottingham, with a total score of 5.80! Nottingham has 44 car parking options, as well as fewer international visitors than some of the above locations, totalling around 189,000. Plus, with a range of indoor shopping centres as well as popular outdoor markets, Nottingham appeals to shoppers of all kinds.

Second is Newcastle upon Tyne, with a slightly lower score of 5.15. Newcastle has more international visitors than Nottingham (248,000 yearly), yet it also has more car parking options, totalling 53. What’s more is that the compact city centre means that many shops are within walking distance from one another, adding convenience to your trip.

Next up we have Liverpool, with a total score of 5.08. Liverpool has 12 shopping centres to choose from, as well as 22 car parks, ideal if you’re hoping to drive into the city to do a spot of shopping! From open-air shopping centres to streets lined with well-known stores, Liverpool has a vibrant and varied shopping scene.

Kingston-Upon-Hull is next, totalling a slightly smaller score of 4.78. With far less bars and restaurants than some of the other locations (31 and 658), you might find that it gets less crowded around the city’s shopping hotspots! And with only 52,000 international visitors, it certainly won’t feel as packed.

Finally, Manchester steals the last spot in our top five, with a score of 4.72. Manchester is a hot spot for shopping, and it seems people are having a fairly enjoyable experience when doing so. With 12 shopping centres to choose from as well as ample car parking spots (69), Manchester might just be your best bet if you’re looking for a somewhat stress-free festive shopping experience.

Tips on how to make shopping less stressful

Finally, we thought we’d leave you with a few final tips that you can bear in mind when heading out on your next shopping trip, particularly if you’re located in one of the top five cities!

1. Plan ahead

First things first, we’d recommend creating a plan and sticking to it. This might involve pulling together a detailed list of the items you need, as well as writing down the shops where you’ll be able to find them. You can do this on the notes page of your phone, ensuring it’s to-hand whenever you need it.

You should also think carefully about the best time to head out shopping, for instance on weekends in the run-up to Christmas it’s bound to be packed. So, if you have a free weekday, your best bet might be scheduling your shopping trip for then. And if weekends are your only option, simply choose a non-peak time, such as early morning or evening before closing.

2. Set a clear budget

Next, we’d recommend heading out on your shopping trip with a clear budget in mind. This is key, as knowing exactly how much you’re allowing yourself to spend can help you avoid those post-shop regrets.

Jumping straight in without a budget will often lead to you picking up items you never even set out to purchase. So, shop mindfully, and you’re bound to minimise feelings of stress!

3. Set a time limit, or spread your shopping trips out

Our final tip is to set a clear timeframe for your trip, for instance just a couple of hours on a morning instead of wandering around for the full day. This will help you avoid impulse buys, and it’ll also ensure you keep focussed on the task in hand.

If you’ve got a fair few items to buy, you could also split your shopping up into a few different trips.

This will take the pressure off, as you won’t have to rush to find all your items in one go. Plus, you can also set some time aside to have a mid-shop break in a nearby café. By doing so, you’ll be able to gather your thoughts and de-stress after a busy day.

So, there we have it: the cities in which you’re set to have the most (and least) stressful shopping experiences! From bustling bars and restaurants to insufficient parking spots and shopping centres, various factors play a part in heightening the overall stress of a shopping experience.

Not to worry though, as if you’re heading out to do some festive shopping in a city such as Reading in the coming weeks, simply bear the above tips in mind to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Finally for more insights, make sure to head over to the Moneyboat blog. There you can dive into guides on how to build a budget (handy if you’re eager to set one ahead of your shopping trip), as well as simple ways to save money which you might find helpful as the new year approaches.

Methodology

This dataset ranks 30 UK cities, based on how stressful they are when shopping. To do this, 7 different factors were used. Once the data for the factors was collected, the factors were then normalised, to provide each one with a score between 0 and 1. If data was not available, a score of 0 was given. The normalised values were then summed and multiplied by 14.3, to give each city a total score out of 100. The cities were then ranked from highest to lowest, based on their total scores.

The factors used are as follows:

Car Parking Locations - The number of mapped car parks in each city, according to parkmark.

Bars - The number of bars in each city, according to TripAdvisor.

Restaurants - The number of restaurants in each city, according to TripAdvisor.

International Visitors - The number of international visitors that visited each city, in 2022.

Train Station Volume - The number of entries & exits at the most popular train station in each city. The most popular train station was determined by filtering the local authority for each city and selecting the station with the highest volume.

Vehicle Miles - The number of vehicle miles travelled in each city, calculated by selecting the local authority each city is in. For London, we combined the vehicle miles for all London boroughs.

Shopping Centres - The number of shopping centres listed on TripAdvisor, in each city.

The factors were indexed as follows:

Car Parking Locations - High values get a high score. Low values get a low score.

Bars - High values get a high score. Low values get a low score.

Restaurants - High values get a high score. Low values get a low score.

International Visitors - Low values get a high score. High values get a low score.

Train Station Volume - Low values get a high score. High values get a low score.

Vehicle Miles - Low values get a high score. High values get a low score.

Shopping Centres - High values get a high score. Low values get a low score.

All data is correct as of 06/11/24. The ranking data shown is a compilation of multiple data sources and may not be representative of real life. All data is accurate with regards to the sources provided.