In the week ending September 1, 2024, high street homeware sales declined, marking the twenty-second negative result of the year. According to the BDO High Street Sales Tracker, total like-for-like (LFL) sales fell by 1.79%. Homeware sales specifically dropped by 5.26%, compared to a 4.84% increase during the same week last year. However, in-store homeware sales experienced a modest rise of 0.58%, indicating a positive trend in a challenging year.
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Overall, in-store sales decreased by 1.10%, while non-store sales saw a 5.63% increase, continuing their positive streak for eighteen weeks. BDO attributed the overall negative results to a weaker performance in in-store retail, despite the boost in non-store sales driven by lifestyle goods and back-to-school preparations.
Footfall showed a slight overall increase of 1.8% from the previous year, with retail parks and high streets seeing rises of 4.0% and 1.9%, respectively. Conversely, shopping centres experienced a minor decline of 0.4% in foot traffic. Weather conditions varied, with southern areas enjoying clear skies and northern regions facing rain and wind.
Source: www.bdo.co.uk
