Economy
The latest news, updates and analysis on the economy and how it is affecting the UK retail industry. Sign up to the Daily Briefing and let Retail Sector’s business journalists keep you in the picture.
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Mar- 2019 -29 March
March consumer confidence ‘holds steady’
Market research company GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index has showed that confidence among consumers in the UK stayed at the same level of -13 in March. Personal finances during the last 12 months has stayed the same this month at 0; three points lower than March 2018. The forecast for…
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28 March
Retail sales fall in March
Retail sales volumes fell in the year to March, compounding a “subdued start to 2019”, according to the latest monthly CBI Distributive Trades Survey. The survey of 105 firms, of which 50 were retailers, showed an 18% drop in retail sales volumes, the fastest contraction in 17 months and marking…
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22 March
Retail sales bounce back in February
Retail sales have bounced back slightly February 2019, as the quantity bought increased by 0.4% during the month. In the three months to February 2019, the quantity bought increased by 0.7% when compared with the previous three months, with strong growth in non-store retailing and fuel. Year-on-year growth in the…
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15 March
Mild February fails to significantly boost UK retail spending
The total retail spend index in February rose only 3.4 percentage points (ppts) versus a poor performance in January, according to data and analytics company GlobalData. Analysts said this subdued growth was “especially disappointing” in light of the UK experiencing the hottest February on record, which should have driven sales.…
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8 March
Worst February in a decade for retailers, says BDO
High street retailers suffered the worst February in a decade for in-store sales, according to figures from BDO’s latest High Street Sales Tracker (HSST). According to the accountancy and business advisory firm, in-store like-for-like sales dropped -3.7% this month from a “poor base of” -1.6% for February last year. Additionally,…
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Feb- 2019 -28 February
UK consumer confidence up despite Brexit ‘fears’
Gfk’s long running Consumer Confidence Index Score went up by one point in February to -13, despite the continuous uncertainty surrounding Brexit. The measure for the general economic situation of the country during the last 12 months increased by two points to -33 this month, four points lower than February…
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27 February
Shop price inflation hits six-year high
Shop price inflation increased by 0.7% in February, up from 0.4% in January, and is the highest inflation rate since March 2013. According to the BRC, non-food prices rose by 0.2% year-on-year during the month, compared with the January decrease of 0.2%. Additionally, food inflation rose slightly to 1.6%, up…
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22 February
Online retail records its ‘worst January sales growth’
Online retail recorded its worst January sales growth in three years last month, as the industry’s poor recent sales performance continued into the new year, according to the IMRG Capgemini eRetail Sales Index. E-commerce saw a 7% year-on-year increase which was slightly above the three-month average of 6.3% year-on-year, however…
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19 February
Majority of shoppers say Brexit won’t affect spending
A survey of over 2,000 consumers conducted by PwC has shown that more than 60% of respondents said Brexit will not and has not affected how much they will spend for the year ahead. The findings in PwC’s 2019 Retail Outlook revealed respondents in the north east of the country…
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15 February
Retail sales bounce back in January
UK retail sales saw a year-on-year increase of 4.8% in January, the highest jump since December 2016. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that sales volumes rose by 1% following a 0.7% decline in December. The average store prices slowed to 0.4% year-on-year, the lowest price increase…
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