Soaring temperatures saw declining retail footfall in June as the UK heatwave pushed shoppers indoors and kept consumers out of stores, the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic reveal.

According to latest BRC-Sensormatic Monitor, total UK footfall decreased by -3.4% year-on-year in June, falling from -2.6% in May. High Streets saw the biggest decline, with shopper traffic falling -6.2% compared to 2025.

Footfall in Retail Parks proved the most resilient, but still saw a year-on-year dip of -0.3% as shoppers swapped stores for staying indoors.

“Exceptionally high temperatures are likely to have influenced behaviour, particularly in the South, where record heat and travel disruption made shopping trips less appealing,” said Sensormatic’s EMEA Retail Consultant, Andy Sumpter.

Shunning stores to beat the heat

Figures shared by Sensormatic last week showed that as UK temperatures tipped 34-degrees in some parts of the country, shoppers shunned the High Street, with footfall in London seeing a sharp dip as temperatures climbed.

Data from its ShopperTrak Analytics platform showed that footfall dropped to its lowest point last week on 24 Jun, down -10.2% year-on-year, with London seeing the sharpest decline, down -13.3%, as many commuters opted to keep cool and work from home.  

UK footfall experienced a similar downturn during the last heatwave in May, with the biggest fall in store visits coming on 25 May, when the UK’s hottest ever May temperature was recorded in Kew, where shopper traffic dipped -18.7% across the UK.

Confidence and weather conditions stall footfall recovery

Sumpter also pointed to shopper confidence as well as weather conditions having impacted retail footfall last month, adding: “consumer confidence is improving slightly but remains low, with wider uncertainty continuing to weigh on discretionary spend.”

“As we move into H2, the focus remains on converting more deliberate visits into meaningful spend,” he added.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, said: “The heatwave may have affected footfall, but retailers face a bigger challenge: rising costs.”

“Businesses are working hard to deliver value for customers, yet higher taxes and regulatory burdens are making it harder to invest, create jobs and grow,” she continued. “Government action on business rates and energy costs would help unlock investment to revive our local communities.”