Non-food retailers experience disappointing shopper numbers, with a recorded 2.9% fall in footfall compared with August last year.
The latest Synovate Retail Traffic Index (RTI) for August has seen the return of disappointing shopper numbers for the majority of over 5,000 non-food retail outlets tracked throughout the UK.

The RTI recorded a fall of 2.9% in retail footfall year-on-year in August and a 2.2% drop on July's numbers.

Synovate retail psychologist Dr Tim Denison explained: "These remain very testing times. Last month we reported that July's footfall showed a slight increase on the previous year, for August it has gone the other way. We're sailing in fluky conditions, where a slight change in wind direction causes the shopper to change tack.

"Last month the marginal uplift in consumer confidence seen during the early summer months stalled again, no doubt affected by news of the rise in the rate of unemployment to 7.8%."

New figures from the Bank of England also revealed that people are choosing to pay off their debts rather than accumulate new ones, giving credit cards "their own summer holiday in many wallets and purses."

Dr Denison added: "The line between deciding to save or spend a little more remains a fine one, which gives retailers cause for some optimism. As we change seasons, we expect those stores offering new autumn/winter lines that are well-priced and on-song to tempt more people to tiptoe into the spending set.

"The trick for retailers will be to promote strongly, effectively and on-message to capitalise on the opportunity, while the benign conditions remain. If this is achieved we can hope to see a kick-start to shopper numbers in September... With another winter of uncertainty ahead, retailers will be intent on making the most of the calm, unsure of how stormy the economic conditions will become and how badly these will further affect consumer confidence and spending patterns."