Shoppers have been shunning Britain’s sweltering high streets according to new industry figures to show evidence of weak consumer demand.
Retail volumes fell ‘at a steep pace’ in the year to August, monthly data from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) showed.
It came as a separate survey from Barclays suggested it has been too hot to shop for much of the summer, with consumers unwilling to go out and spend once the temperature tops 25C.
The findings suggest that the heatwave has piled even more pressure on the high street, at a time when it is already being crushed with higher employer national insurance bills and minimum wages as well as Labour’s botched business rates reform.
The CBI said a balance of retail sales volumes, subtracting firms who saw sales fall from those who saw growth – fell to minus 48 per cent, down from minus 26 per cent in July.
