Too hot to shop: heat wave puts the brakes on summer sales in Belgium

The Belgian fashion retail sector ended the summer sales with a modest decline: independent fashion retailers sold, on average, nearly 1% less than last year, according to a survey by Mode Unie and UNIZO.

A strong start, but…

The sales got off to a good start thanks to the sunny summer weather. However, the heat wave during the first week quickly turned the tide. One-third of retailers reported higher sales, while 27.5% remained at the same level. Sales declined for 39.1%.

“Customers largely stayed away, and those who did come to shop mainly bought peak-summer items, leaving more expensive clothing items such as summer sweaters and pants on the shelves,” says Chiel Sterckx of Mode Unie and UNIZO. Geopolitical tensions and fears of higher oil and consumer prices also weighed on consumer confidence.

Clothing and shoe stores were particularly hard hit by the decline. Lingerie stores, on the other hand, benefited from strong demand for swimwear. In the last two weeks, stores once again attracted more shoppers, but that uptick could not fully offset the revenue loss from the first half of July.

Half feel the Shein effect

According to Mode Unie, nearly half of business owners also point to competition from international online retailers. Of the retailers surveyed, 46.4% say customers are buying less or differently because of players like Shein and Amazon.

Mode Unie and UNIZO therefore welcome the European parcel tax. At the same time, the organizations are calling for stricter controls and enforcement on online sales channels. “After all, it’s unacceptable that independent retailers—who are often subject to inspections themselves—are the ones bearing the brunt of these international players’ unfair market practices,” said Sterckx.

Optimism nevertheless prevails for the winter season: more than 71% of fashion retailers expect to sell as much or more than they did in the winter of 2025.