Holiday season buoys retail fortunes at McArthurGlen
Published: 30 August, 2011
Tourists seeking out designer bargains drove a lift in retail performance at McArthurGlen’s seven UK Designer Outlets in July as total sales increased by +6.5 per cent year-on-year.
Designer-wear remained a huge draw for loyal label hunters, as McArthurGlen reports sales of designer lines soared by +55 per cent across the UK portfolio in July compared to the same month last year. Brands including Mulberry, Lacoste and Oakley all reported strong sales throughout the month.
With the holiday season in full swing, McArthurGlen reports that international visitors have been heading further afield than Bond Street as its’ Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet saw sales from Malaysian, Chinese and Kuwaiti visitors increase by +150 per cent.
McArthurGlen also saw a jump in domestic shopper sales in July, as shoppers spent on average +5.5 per cent more per customer compared with July 2010.
Cosmetics and accessories in particular flew off the shelves, seeing a +19 per cent and +8 per cent increase in year-on-year sales respectively.
Colin Wilding, UK country manager, McArthurGlen Designer Outlets, said: “Summer is a key sales period for us, and July is generally the peak month for international shoppers to visit our McArthurGlen Designer Outlets – evidenced by the high spending by tourists across the UK portfolio. From a domestic perspective, people are changing their spending patterns and we are seeing increasing numbers of shoppers opting for investment pieces – a trend illustrated by the strength of sales of designer products in July.
Nick Bubb, retail analyst at Arden Partners adds: “At a time when the UK’s international image is under the spotlight and UK domestic spending is under pressure, it is very good to hear that McArthurGlen has been so successful in driving international visitors to its outlets and offering them the designer brands and ranges that they want to buy. The strong July sales outcome illustrates the strength of the retail outlet model as a whole and shows that it is an attractive proposition for brands”.
