The latest survey indicates a disappointing onset to the festive period for retailers, with an acknowledgment that sales downturn may appear more severe due to the Black Friday event occurring outside the survey's timeframe.
According to the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) sales monitor, there was a 3.3 per cent decline in year-to-November sales volumes compared to the 2.3 per cent rise seen last year, majorly impacted by the timing of Black Friday this time around, as reported by .
"While the majority of November’s data tells a disappointing tale for the retail sector, this reporting didn’t include Black Friday week," remarked Linda Ellett, 海角视频 head of consumer, retail & leisure at KPMG, noting hopes that consumers waiting for late November deals might offset the bleak figures. However, despite the timing of Black Friday, BRC's chief executive Helen Dickinson pointed out it was "undoubtedly a bad start to the festive season".
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The reported data showed a year-on-year fall of 2.1 per cent in non-food sales, attributed to "low consumer confidence and rising energy bills" by Dickinson. She also observed that spending on fashion was "particularly weak", proposing that many households had delayed buying winter clothing.
Food sales experienced a less dramatic year-on-year growth of 2.4 per cent in November, dropping from last year's 7.6 per cent increase.
"Retailers will be hoping that seasonal spending is delayed not diminished," Dickinson commented. The survey contributes to a series of reports indicating an economic slowdown following the government's first Budget.
Last week, the BRC released its latest consumer sentiment survey, revealing a dip in confidence in the economy after the Budget, with sentiment falling further into negative territory.