Footfall slips in July as shops suffer

Footfall data for July provided further evidence of the pressure the consumer downturn is placing on retailers.

Experian Footfall said visits to UK shops fell by 2.2 per cent last month, compared with July 2010, as high petrol prices and financial woes kept shoppers away.

The month-on-month rise of 1.6 per cent was less than typically seen in July, which benefits from the school holidays.