Heatwave weighs on high street footfall in July as consumers ‘stay home’

The ongoing heatwave has put another thorn in the side of UK retailers, with high street footfall particularly affected, down 3.8% year-on-year in July, though that was up from -6.2% in June, when the extreme warm weather first hit.

That’s according to the latest data from the BRC-Sensormatic Footfall Monitor, covering the four weeks from 5 July to 1 August, which revealed that total UK footfall decreased by 2.1% year-on-year in July (up from -3.4% in June).

Footfall in shopping centres also declined by 1.4% year-on-year in July, while retail parks saw a drop of 1.2%.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: "The heatwave continued to bear down on retail footfall in July, with high streets worst affected. London was hit particularly hard as soaring temperatures made tube and train travel less attractive, with some commuters and shoppers opting to stay home.

"Nonetheless, it was still an improvement on the previous month’s figures, when record-breaking sunshine saw footfall fall by an even bigger margin.

"Climate change continues to deliver more and more extreme temperatures in the UK. Retailers are responding by investing in both mitigations – such as more air conditioning and more efficient refrigeration units – and in sustainability initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

"Unfortunately, business rates often punish stores for such investments, showing the need for government to look again at this broken system.”

Andy Sumpter, Head of Consulting & Analytics - EMEA for Sensormatic, added: “July saw UK retail footfall remain under pressure, with total visits down 2.1% year-on-year. While this represents an improvement on June’s -3.4%, the broader trend remains challenging, with six of the first seven months of 2026 performing worse than the same period last year.

“The exceptionally hot and historically dry weather is likely to have been a significant factor, discouraging shopping trips and particularly impacting high streets.

“England recorded the weakest performance of any UK nation at -3%, with London down 5.3%, highlighting the continued challenges facing larger urban centres during periods of extreme heat.

“While the UK has yet another new Prime Minister, retail is yet to experience any meaningful 'Burnham Bounce'. For retailers, the focus remains on converting these more selective visits into meaningful spend as the summer progresses.”