A cold March and an early Easter led to disappointment for retailers in the USA according to statistics released by Planalytics and Michael Niemira, chief economist and staff vice president at the International Council of Shopping Centers. Unfortunately, many retailers have affirmed that message – citing poor weather as a main cause of lower-than-anticipated results.

Paul Walsh, vice president of Planalytics, stated, "The earliest Easter in

15 years combined with the coldest March since 2001 left retailers cold this year as, across a large part of the US, Spring Break happened before spring actually broke. As consumers continue to buy closer to need, spring merchandise purchases were delayed until the onset of favourable weather."

The Planalytics Retail Weather Index for March was -15%, making it the most unfavourable shopping environment for spring apparel since 2001. The Retail Weather Index is a measure of the impact of the weather on consumer buying behaviour.

"Weather is important this month because at this time of year, it drives both traffic and activity. It influences both when and where people spend their time and money. As we move through spring, from March to May, it has more impact for this same reason. Although there is always a weather factor, it will taper off in the summer and then strengthen again in the autumn transitional months," explained Frederic Fox, president and CEO.

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