June was just “too hot to shop” says BRC-Sensormatic report

A footfall report from MRI Software this week has already told us that visitor traffic to UK stores was weak in June. And on Friday another report — this time from the BRC-Sensormatic — went further.

The report was headlined “Too hot to shop” and it underlined the dilemma facing UK stores at present. Consumers might quite like the idea of buying summer fashion that looks good in the heat but when it comes to actually making the effort, it’s often “maybe another day”.

The data showed footfall in the five weeks from 1 June to 5 July down 1.8% year on year. That followed a 1.7% fall in May.

High street footfall fell 3% after a 2.5% May drop, the usually-stronger retail parks dropped 1.1%, and even presumably-air-conditioned shopping centres were down 1.6% (although at least that was better than May’s 2.3% fall).

Once more, footfall decreased year-on-year across all UK nations: down 1.4% in England, 3% in Scotland, 3.3% in Wales, with the largest decrease of 5.2% in Northern Ireland. That’s interesting though, because while the heat wave covered most of the country, the hottest temperatures were in the south and that’s where footfall seem to fall the least. This suggests that there could be more to the story than simply people not feeling like shopping during very hot weather.

But there’s no denying that the weather was clearly an issue that had an impact. British Retail Consortium CEO Helen Dickinson said: “Extreme weather meant shoppers stayed away from their local stores last month, leading to a decline in footfall across all three key retail locations. High streets were particularly affected as extreme heat was followed by severe thunderstorms, discouraging visits. 

“Subdued consumer sentiment means shoppers remain cautious – making it increasingly difficult for retailers to generate strong footfall into their stores. However, there were more encouraging signs in some parts of the UK, with Manchester and Birmingham recording positive footfall for the third consecutive month. This is thanks to popular new shops opening and major concerts drawing in crowds.”

And Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic, added: “June delivered heatwaves, storms, and what could be the hottest June on record — but even the sunshine wasn’t enough to spark a retail revival. One year on from the general election, with footfall still in the red, it appears that consumer confidence has yet to find its feet. That said, the rate of decline is easing, and with summer now in full swing, retailers have an opportunity to turn seasonal footfall into sustained momentum — especially those who can deliver value, experience, and convenience in equal measure.”