A quarter of retailers saw sales fall over the summer, according to property agents Donaldsons, which has put trading statements issued during this period under the microscope.
Fashion retailers were hardest hit as the sector's perennial concern - the weather - curtailed consumer spending.
Donaldsons head of research James Brown said: 'The outlook for fashion retailers on the back of a bad summer is tough.'
The supermarkets, by contrast, continued to power ahead. Tesco enjoyed 7.8 per cent like-for-like growth for the 12 weeks to May 22 - the highest in the sector. Morrisons chalked up 9.2 per cent like-for-like growth, though it saw sales continue to slide at Safeway. Even Sainsbury's notched up 1 per cent growth over the summer.
The supermarkets' increasing forays in non-food and general merchandise represents an increasing threat to traditional non-food retailers, argues Donaldsons.
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