Extreme heat suppressed shopper footfall in June as consumers sought to escape the blazing temperatures, the British Retail Consortium reported.
According to the trade body’s latest data, total UK footfall dropped 1.8% in five weeks to 5 July, down from the 1.7% decline in May.
Retail parks saw the biggest drop in footfall, with shopper numbers down 1.1% in June compared to a 0.2% growth the month before.
High street footfall declined 3% last month, down from the 2.5% drop in May, while there was some recovery in shopping centres as footfall was down 1.6% last month, up from the 2.3% decline in May.
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British Retail Consortium chief executive 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.
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