July’s heatwaves kept UK shoppers away from high street

Visits down 3.8% after 6.2% fall in June, with many choosing to buy online instead, research for retail body finds

Shoppers stayed away from UK high streets during last month’s heatwave temperatures , with many choosing to buy online instead as the mercury in some areas rose into the mid-30Cs.

Trips to high streets were down by 3.8% year on year in July after a 6.2% fall in June, according to research from the monitoring firm Sensormatic for the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

Visitors to shopping centres also declined, but those at retail parks returned to growth.

Overall there was a 2.1% decrease in numbers attending all shopping destinations compared with the same month last year.

Helen Dickinson, the BRC chief executive, said: “The heatwave continued to bear down on retail footfall in July, with high streets worst affected.

“London was hit particularly hard as soaring temperatures made tube and train travel less attractive, with some commuters and shoppers opting to stay home.”

The capital had 5.3% fewer shoppers last month compared with 3% fewer across England. There were increases of 2.7% in Scotland and 2.5% in Northern Ireland and flat footfall in Wales where the weather was less intense.

Dickinson said: “Climate change continues to deliver more and more extreme temperatures in the UK.

“Retailers are responding by investing in both mitigations – such as more air conditioning and more efficient refrigeration units – and in sustainability initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

“Unfortunately, business rates often punish stores for such investments, showing the need for government to look again at this broken system.”

The figures highlight the potentially differing fortunes of retailers during the hot spell, with those more reliant on physical stores potentially suffering.

On Wednesday, the fashion and homewares retailer Next upgraded its profit guidance for the third time this year, saying it had benefited from sunny weather and the release of some “pent-up demand” in the Middle East and northern Europe in the 13 weeks to 1 August.

The growth was led by the range of other brands Next now sells, including Gap, Reiss and Joules, and strong sales online. Trading in its stores faltered during the sweltering heat.

Fashion is expected to be one of the winners in retail this summer, along with supermarkets and technology sellers as people bought cold food and drink, fans and air conditioning to cope with the heat.

Furniture and garden plants are among the losers, with the former under pressure from the cost of living and slow housing market while fewer plants have been planted because of extreme heat and dry weather.