The record-breaking June temperatures have dealt a severe blow to Britain's high streets, with shopper numbers plummeting by as much as 10 per cent this week, according to data compiled by Sensormatic for City AM. The scorching heat, which reached highs of 36°C in London, has resulted in a stark contrast between online retail and traditional bricks-and-mortar stores.
A closer examination of the footfall figures reveals that London high streets bore the brunt of the impact, with Sunday's 6.9 per cent decrease serving as an early warning sign. This trend intensified throughout the week, with Tuesday's 10.8 per cent reduction and Wednesday's 13.3 per cent drop marking a significant downturn. Thursday witnessed the largest single-day decline for UK high streets overall, down 9.8 per cent.
Interestingly, shopping centres have managed to retain more shoppers, suggesting that air conditioning played a pivotal role in attracting consumers. Retail parks also saw a marginal increase in footfall, up 0.2 per cent on Thursday. Analysts at Sensormatic speculate that this may indicate consumers making essential trips to DIY and homeware stores to purchase items like fans and air-conditioning units.
This phenomenon mirrors the pattern observed during last month's heatwave, when high street traffic plummeted by 19 per cent on 25th May – marking the UK's hottest ever May day. Andy Sumpter, a retail consultant at Sensormatic, notes that consumers are opting to avoid stores in a bid to escape the heat, undertaking only short or necessary shopping trips.
While retailers face significant challenges, other sectors have capitalised on the trend. Harvir Dhillon, an economist at the British Retail Consortium (BRC), suggests that online shopping platforms may have seen a boost as consumers shift their spending habits. Furthermore, British pubs have experienced a surge in custom, with transactions at bars and pubs reportedly 12 per cent higher this week, according to payments platform Square.