Snow heightens retail woes after December sales dip In the last ten days Blockbuster, HMV and Jessops have all been forced to call in administrators as households keep a tight rein on spending. "The weather is disastrous for retailers," said Neil Saunders managing director of retail consultancy Columino. What we'll see this weekend undoubtedly is very depleted footfall on the high street. It can down by up to 30pc [during the snow] depending on the location. It's the last thing retailers want. It's going to be a very tight and difficult quarter. A spokesperson for the British Retail Consortium said retailers are hoping the snow will be "short-lived" as they continue to struggle in a "no-growth environment." However, the poor conditions could lead to a spike in online sales and sales of products such as shovels and winter clothing, the BRC said. Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said the hazardous weather had come at a "very brittle time for the UK economy, adding to the headwinds that it is already battling against as it tries to avoid a triple-dip recession." He warned a prolonged period of adverse weather this month will increase the risk of the economy contracting in the first quarter of this year, which is likely to follow a "renewed modest dip in the fourth quarter of 2012." GDP figures for the fourth quarter of 2012 will be published next week, with expectations they will show the economy went into reverse. Although several companies including Argos, Dixons, John Lewis and Next enjoyed a successful festive trading season, Moody's on Friday forecast "low to flat" retail sales growth in the UK this year.