Unseasonable weather and the general election campaign continued to hit consumer spending last month.
Despite a late upturn in the weather at the end of the month, it was not lift sales. British Retail Consortium data shows total sales dipped by 0.2% in June, compared with growth of 4.9% a year earlier. This was also well below the 12-month average growth of 1.5%.
Non-food sales dropped 2.9% in the three-month period, against last year’s 0.3% growth. Sales have dropped by an average of 1.9% over the past 12 months.
‘Retail sales performed poorly in June as the cooler weather during the first half of the month dulled consumer spending. Sales of weather-sensitive categories such as clothing and footwear, as well as DIY and gardening were hit particularly hard, especially compared to the surge in spending during last June’s heatwave. Electronics sales had a better month as football fans cheering on their national teams upgraded their home entertainment systems and people replaced their pandemic purchases,’ says Helen Dickinson, BRC chief executive.
‘Retailers remain hopeful that as the summer social season gets into full swing and the weather improves, sales will follow suit.’
