Search News

Results: 1-10 of 66


Start again

23 Oct 2023

Cardmitment campaign launched to remind people of the power of sending greetings cards

23 Oct 2023

The International Longevity Centre has released new guides to show the steps retailers need to take to make their shops more accessible for the elderly.

23 Oct 2023

Family-run Bristol sandwich shop Sandwich Sandwich has been named best in the UK at the UberEats awards.

23 Oct 2023

Convenience stores are set to be part of a testing programme for the UK’s first digital proof of age card.

23 Oct 2023

“Game-changing” facial recognition technology is targeting prolific retail criminals, including shoplifters.

9 May 2023

A mixed picture is emerging about the effect of the Coronation weekend across the UK's retail sector.

9 May 2023

Nominations have opened for the 2023 British Business Awards.

9 May 2023

The European retail sector has enjoyed its best month for international spending on Tax Free goods since the end of the pandemic after sales surged by 40% month on month in March 2023, taking...

31 Mar 2023

Checkout Bira's FREE opening times and social media toolkit downloads for Easter!

4 Jan 2023

BBC analysis has shown that beauty salons and tattoo parlours have prospered on high streets while the number of banks and department stores has fallen. Places to eat and drink have also...

Back to news menu

Christmas period

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News , Creative News, Outdoor News

Christmas retail figures suggest the sector was hit with lower footfall and spending amid growing concern over rising costs and uncertainty about Brexit.

shopping centreFigures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show footfall for UK retailers was down by 3.5% in December, the biggest decline since March 2013, with high streets and shopping centres the hardest hit.

BRC CEO Helen Dickinson says: "Households had to use their money more carefully, researching products online rather than heading out to stores to browse."

Figures from Visa, as part of its UK Consumer Spending Index for December, highlighted the worst year for consumer spending since 2012.

Mark Antipof, chief commercial officer at Visa, commented: "Christmas rounded off a lean year for retailers with consumer spending seeing its first consistent 12 month decline since 2012.

"December's consumer spending figures confirm our earlier prediction that the UK would see its first fall in overall Christmas spending in five years. This result has bucked the trend of the previous four years which saw annual consumer spending rise by an average of 1.7 per cent."

While Visa believes the high street has "suffered" recently, it also noted online spending is holding up.

In a trading statement outlying how his businesses, which include Ryman, Boux Avenue and Robert Dyas, fared over the festive trading period, Theo Paphitis said: "As anticipated and reported, the Christmas trading period, as has been the case for most of this year, was ‘hard work' for many retailers.

"In all my years, I have never seen it so hard and unforgiving where the shopper will punish you if you take your eye off the ball."

Retails including Mothercare, Debenhams and House of Fraser struggled during Christmas, leading to profit warnings and even a move to renegotiate property rental rates.

 

Back to news menu

Useful links

If you have any other queries please contact us.