Fashion Business Intelligence

Online surge lifts UK fashion back into growth as store sales slip : BDO Weekly

UK fashion sales returned to growth in the latest week, with total like-for-like (LFL) sales rising +3.07% over a period that included the early May bank holiday, according to the latest BDO High Street Sales Tracker. The result comes off a positive base of +2.80% for the same week last year. Online demand drove the entire fashion uplift....

UK retail footfall falls in April as consumer confidence weakens

UK retail footfall declined in April as consumer confidence weakened amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to new data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Figures from BRC-Sensormatic showed total UK footfall fell 11 percent year-on-year in the four weeks to May 2, reversing the 2.4 percent increase recorded in March. High...

Seasonal events and warmer weather boost April retail footfall

UK retail footfall recorded a month-on-month increase in April, bolstered by warmer weather, Easter trading, bank holidays and major events including the London Marathon, according to new data from MRI Software. Across all UK retail destinations, footfall rose 2 percent between 5 April and 2 May 2026 compared with the previous month. High...

BRC warns of rising costs as Middle East conflict adds pressure

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has called on the UK government to act on rising domestic cost pressures, as new polling shows growing concern among consumers over the impact of the Middle East conflict on prices. Research commissioned by the BRC found that 80 percent of people are worried the conflict will lead to higher food prices, while...

Corporate insolvencies in Western Europe reach record high

Berlin - The economic crisis is having serious, and for many, existential consequences for companies in Western Europe. According to the credit agency Creditreform, the number of corporate insolvencies rose last year to its highest level since records began in 2002. In 2025, a total of 197,610 insolvencies were recorded, an increase of 4.8...

UK Fashion retail sales rebounds as five-week store slump ends

The UK retail sector finally emerged from a month-long chill this week, as total like-for-like (LFL) sales jumped by +4.42%. Driven by a shift in weather and a renewed appetite for physical shopping, the results represent a significant turnaround from the -3.65% decline recorded during the same week last year. For the first time in over a month,...

Mary Portas to open BRC summer school to push community engagement

Retail consultant and broadcaster Mary Portas is set to launch a development programme for leaders in the British Retail Consortium (BRC) to urge the adoption of community engagement within the sector. Set to open in June, the BRC Leaders Summer School will focus on the divisive nature of retail, namely the contrast between companies competing...

Study: Retailers scale back growth plans as global pressures mount

Global retailers are becoming more cautious in their approach to growth strategies amid intensifying economic and geopolitical pressures, according to new research from World Retail Congress (WRC), Incisiv and Manhattan Associates. The study, released at this year’s WRC, which kicked off yesterday in Berlin and will run until April 29, found...

Clothing and footwear sales rebound in March, ONS data reveals

New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show a modest recovery in UK retail sales in March 2026, with clothing and textile categories returning to growth following a weaker start to the year. Sales volumes for textile, clothing and footwear stores rose 1.2 percent month on month in March, contrasting a 1 percent decline in...

Fashion

Counterfeiting: Goyard's exclusivity attracts counterfeiters

Artificial intelligence authentication platform Entrupy has published its new State of the Fake report. Similar to the results published in 2025, this year's report shows Louis Vuitton as the brand with the highest volume of counterfeit products. It is followed by Gucci, Prada, Chanel and Dior. The enthusiasm for the Louis Vuitton monogram...

Euratex: European textile and clothing industry contracts for third consecutive year

The European textile and clothing industry contracted for the third consecutive year in the 2025 financial year, according to the annual report from industry association Euratex. The report documents a continued decline in production, employment and confidence within the sector. The report shows that production volumes fell further in 2025....