BDO weekly: In-store fashion leads the way as UK high street growth broadens

UK fashion grew across every channel last week, with in-store sales leading the way for the first time in weeks, as high street growth broadened after a run of online-driven trading. Fashion total like-for-like (LFL) sales rose +4.41%, according to the latest BDO High Street Sales Tracker — a notable result given it built on an exceptional +18.47% base from the same week last year.

Store fashion was the standout, up +8.27% against an already-positive +7.37% base. After several weeks in which online alone carried the category, the return of in-store demand points to broader-based momentum rather than a single-channel story.

Online fashion rose a more modest +1.95%, but that came against an extraordinary +28.98% base a year earlier — one of the most demanding comparisons of the year, meaning the channel still edged ahead of an exceptional prior-year performance.

The wider high street was firmly positive. Total LFL sales rose +5.33% from a strong +11.66% base, with all three retail categories in growth. Total store sales picked up +7.25% against a +4.28% base, while total non-store sales rose +8.95% despite lapping a demanding +15.56% comparison.

Springboard footfall increased +0.8% overall, with all three location types positive — high street and retail parks each up +0.9% and shopping centres +0.5%. Broad-based footfall growth underlined the return of shoppers to physical stores.

The UK entered the week straight after its most significant heatwave on record, with temperatures easing and fresher, wetter conditions in the north and west while the south and east stayed warm. With fashion growing against demanding prior-year bases on every channel, the week signals genuine underlying momentum.