Storm Bram dampens fashion sales as UK retail hits nine-month low

The UK retail sector faced its toughest trading week since early spring, with total like-for-like (LFL) sales plunging by -7.13%. This sharp decline marks the lowest result since the second week of March, a downturn exacerbated by the disruptive arrival of Storm Bram, which brought heavy rain, gale-force winds, and snow to much of the country.

The fashion sector was hit particularly hard, with total LFL sales falling by -7.75%. This represents the category’s third consecutive negative outcome, signaling a significant cooling in consumer demand for apparel as the year draws to a close. Both physical stores and online channels struggled to find footing amidst the unsettled weather.

Store fashion sales decreased by -3.04%, ending a three-week streak of positive results. The impact of the storm was evident in footfall patterns; while the high street showed surprising resilience with a tiny +0.2% uptick in traffic, shopping centres (-2.9%) and retail parks (-1.2%) saw significant declines. It appears that while some shoppers braved the elements for local high street trips, the broader "destination shopping" typically seen in December was severely hampered by Storm Bram’s travel disruptions and flooding warnings.

The digital landscape offered no reprieve, as non-store fashion sales tumbled by -9.41%. This marks a stark contrast to the category’s strong performance earlier in the season and is the second negative online outcome in the past five weeks.

With total store LFLs down -3.49% and non-store results sinking by -7.67%, retailers are entering the final weeks of the year under significant pressure. The fashion industry, often a bellwether for discretionary spending, now faces a steep uphill climb to recover lost momentum following this weather-driven slump.