Unseasonably warm September burdens monthly sales in the UK

Apparel retailers in the UK have suffered a sales backlash in September due to the unseasonably warm weather, according to a new report. Data gathered by BDO point out that, across all sectors, high street sales dropped by 2.8 percent last month.

A survey conducted by BDO highlights that fashion sales fell in value by 5.9 percent compared with the same time last year, as shoppers were put off from buying autumn and winter stock.

"September was always going to be tough, compared against a strong September 2015, but retailers should take the erratic weather as a lesson in the importance of flexibility," said BDO's head of retail, Sophie Michael.

"When you look at individual performances, it doesn't take long to spot who has innovated and adapted their supply chains to be able to cope with unseasonal weather," she added.

For its High Street Sales Tracker, BDO takes weekly sales figures from 70 participating high street retailers with about 10,000 stores in total, and compares the percentage change in turnover with the previous year.

Market sources stress in related news that despite M&S is not due to publish half-year results until Nov. 8, and Debenhams is scheduled to report full-year results on Oct. 27, both retailers are expected to take a substantial dip in monthly comparable sales. In this regard, it’s worth recalling that M&S stock is down 27 percent so far this year, while Debenhams is down 24 percent, according to data collated by Reuters.