UK high street sales weak; online fashion surges: BDO
Like-for-like in-store sales rose by just 0.6 per cent compared to June 2024, falling well below inflation and highlighting the sector's ongoing struggle to attract consumer spending, BDO said in a release.
'Consumer spending continues to be challenged, with little optimism for retailers. We know that consumers are being incredibly cautious when it comes to discretionary spend, given the significant noise around rising job losses and volatility in the geopolitical landscape,' Sophie Michael, head of retail and wholesale at BDO, commented.
While high street footfall remained weak, online sales posted a robust growth of 4.3 per cent—driven particularly by a 10 per cent surge in online fashion sales. In contrast, fashion sales on the high street slipped by 0.2 per cent, further deepening concerns over the viability of physical retail spaces.
'There is also a growing gap between the performance of physical stores and online retail. Perhaps this is because online retailers have greater agility to adjust their inventory and promotional material to quickly align to consumer preferences, such as promoting summer outfits in extreme high temperatures and pivoting to waterproofs when the rain arrives,' said Sophie.
This marks the sixth consecutive month where in-store sales growth has failed to keep pace with inflation, translating into declining sales volumes across the first half of 2025. Reinforcing the bleak outlook, CBI data shows that total sales volumes have now fallen for nine consecutive months.
'Some retailers are making targeted investments to improve their store estates to attract more footfall, but we need to see this across the industry along with more support to revitalise our high streets. Store propositions need to be reinvented. Strategic and targeted investment is what is really required for retailers with a significant physical footprint to remain competitive. At the same time, retailers need to continue to invest in blending their physical and online offerings. Without this investment and local government support, we risk seeing further store closures which has a detrimental effect on our towns and communities," Sophie concluded.
UK retail sales in discretionary categories underperformed in June, with in-store like-for-like sales up just 0.6 per cent, well below inflation, BDO reported. Online sales rose 4.3 per cent, driven by fashion. This marks the sixth straight month of weak in-store growth. BDO warns of continued pressure on physical retail and urges investment to revitalise high streets.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
CBI busts cyber fraud syndicate targeting UK & Australian citizens key operative arrested in Noida
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as part of its ongoing Operation Chakra-V , has cracked down on a transnational cybercrime syndicate running a sophisticated tech support scam targeting citizens of the United Kingdom and a coordinated operation conducted on 07.07.2025, The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out searches at three locations in Noida, including at a fully functional fraudulent call centre operating from the Noida Special Economic Zone. The operation was meticulously timed with the time zones of the victims, resulting in the detection of live scam calls in progress during the on credible intelligence, the CBI registered RC 07/2025 to investigate the syndicate, which posed as technical support staff of reputed multinational companies, including Microsoft . The fraudsters were cheating foreign nationals by falsely claiming that their devices were compromised and extorting money under the guise of resolving non-existent technical registering the case, the CBI collaborated closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Crime Agency (UK), and Microsoft Corporation to trace the syndicate's operations and the searches, the CBI seized extensive evidence, including advanced calling infrastructure, malicious scripts used to deceive victims, and documents revealing the scale of the fraud and extortion. The syndicate's call centre, operating under the name FirstIdea, was found to be technologically sophisticated, enabling cross-border anonymity and large-scale targeting of key operative, a partner of FirstIdea, has been arrested by the CBI remains committed to combating the growing menace of cybercrime and reiterates its resolve to work with domestic and international partners to dismantle such syndicates and bring perpetrators to justice. Through Operation Chakra-V and similar initiatives, the Bureau continues to strengthen its capabilities to detect, investigate, and prosecute cybercriminals operating across borders.
Fibre2Fashion
4 hours ago
- Fibre2Fashion
Swiss Firm Autoneum launches N-Join1 to reduce vehicle carbon
Vehicle manufacturers are increasingly looking for recycling solutions for end-of-life vehicles to meet sustainability targets and comply with new regulations that are accelerating the automotive industry's transition toward a circular economy. In response, Autoneum has developed the N-Join1 carpet. This innovative, monomaterial carpet system, made from recycled materials, eliminates the need for latex and adhesives, thereby offering an eco-friendly solution for vehicle interiors. The N-Join1 employs a unique process that joins the carpet surface together with the substrate in a single step. The substrate can be made from various materials including Autoneum's Pure technology components made of 100 percent polyester, making N-Join1 easier to recycle without limiting customers' design freedom. Autoneum's N-Join1 is an innovative, monomaterial vehicle carpet system made from recycled polyester, eliminating the need for latex and adhesives. It allows waste-free production, full recyclability at end-of-life, and reduced carbon footprint. Suitable for ICE and electric vehicles, it offers design flexibility, noise protection, and supports the shift to a circular automotive economy. The new carpet system offers multiple benefits for vehicle manufacturers. As with other Autoneum interior floor products, N-Join1 is designed to ensure driving comfort with optimal noise protection in the passenger cabin. This innovation can be used together with the Di-Light carpet, which offers an attractive appearance even in highly curved carpet areas due to its uniform surface finish. Additionally, its monomaterial construction enables waste-free production and full recycling at the vehicle's end-of-life. By eliminating the use of latex, which is water and energy-intensive, N-Join1 reduces resource usage and ensures cleaner production, supporting the automotive industry's move towards more sustainable practices. Overall, the new carpet system achieves a significant reduction in the carbon footprint when compared to traditional carpet systems of equal weight. The greatest contribution comes from the end-of-life recycling potential enabled by the monomaterial system. N-Join1 is suitable for a wide range of vehicles, including both internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). It is currently available in Europe and North America. Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)
Fibre2Fashion
7 hours ago
- Fibre2Fashion
UK high street sales weak; online fashion surges: BDO
UK retail sales in discretionary categories such as fashion, homewares, and lifestyle continued to underperform in June, according to BDO's latest High Street Sales Tracker. Like-for-like in-store sales rose by just 0.6 per cent compared to June 2024, falling well below inflation and highlighting the sector's ongoing struggle to attract consumer spending, BDO said in a release. 'Consumer spending continues to be challenged, with little optimism for retailers. We know that consumers are being incredibly cautious when it comes to discretionary spend, given the significant noise around rising job losses and volatility in the geopolitical landscape,' Sophie Michael, head of retail and wholesale at BDO, commented. While high street footfall remained weak, online sales posted a robust growth of 4.3 per cent—driven particularly by a 10 per cent surge in online fashion sales. In contrast, fashion sales on the high street slipped by 0.2 per cent, further deepening concerns over the viability of physical retail spaces. 'There is also a growing gap between the performance of physical stores and online retail. Perhaps this is because online retailers have greater agility to adjust their inventory and promotional material to quickly align to consumer preferences, such as promoting summer outfits in extreme high temperatures and pivoting to waterproofs when the rain arrives,' said Sophie. This marks the sixth consecutive month where in-store sales growth has failed to keep pace with inflation, translating into declining sales volumes across the first half of 2025. Reinforcing the bleak outlook, CBI data shows that total sales volumes have now fallen for nine consecutive months. 'Some retailers are making targeted investments to improve their store estates to attract more footfall, but we need to see this across the industry along with more support to revitalise our high streets. Store propositions need to be reinvented. Strategic and targeted investment is what is really required for retailers with a significant physical footprint to remain competitive. At the same time, retailers need to continue to invest in blending their physical and online offerings. Without this investment and local government support, we risk seeing further store closures which has a detrimental effect on our towns and communities," Sophie concluded. UK retail sales in discretionary categories underperformed in June, with in-store like-for-like sales up just 0.6 per cent, well below inflation, BDO reported. Online sales rose 4.3 per cent, driven by fashion. This marks the sixth straight month of weak in-store growth. BDO warns of continued pressure on physical retail and urges investment to revitalise high streets. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
