March retail sales down on last year
March retail sales down on last year
Thursday 16th April 2009
UK retail sales figures fell 1.2 per cent during March compared to like-for-like figures last year, new figures show.The drop is the ninth time in ten months sales figures were down on last year.
The British Retail Council and KPMG released the figures but admitted comparisons were problematic due to the unseasonable weather which battered the UK in March last year, and the fact that Easter fell in March in 2008, rather than April this year.
Total sales, which include new shops, increased by 0.6 per cent, and internet, mail-order and phone sales were 10.8 per cent up on March last year.
And food sales, clothing and footwear all showed signs of rallying despite the overall decline.
Stephen Robertson, director general of the British Retail Consortium, said: "A slight air of pre-spring optimism tempted customers to buy new-season clothing and women’s footwear.
"But this is unlikely to be the basis of sustained improvement. Customers are still worried about jobs and their own finances - so they’re keeping spending under tight control."
Helen Dickson, head of retail at KPMG, cautioned against long term predictions. She said: "We continue to see significant volatility in weekly and individual retailer performance, highlighting the need to remain cautious in drawing conclusions about the prospects for retail spending."
Related News
Channel blockade suspended by French fishermen - 16/04/09
French fishermen have suspended their blockade of Calais, allowing cross-Channel ferry services to resume
French fishermen have suspended their blockade of Calais, allowing cross-Channel ferry services to resume
FTSE 100 jumps as banks take lead - 16/04/09
The FTSE 100 was up in early trading as banks saw gains, but an early peak slid as traders their teeth into the day
The FTSE 100 was up in early trading as banks saw gains, but an early peak slid as traders their teeth into the day
P&O suspends cross channel services - 15/04/09
P&O Ferries has suspended its cross channel services as French fishermen again blocked Calais in protest at EU quotas
P&O Ferries has suspended its cross channel services as French fishermen again blocked Calais in protest at EU quotas
UBS to axe over 8,500 jobs - 15/04/09
Swiss banking giant UBS is to cut nearly 9,000 jobs as it struggles to weather the current financial storm
Swiss banking giant UBS is to cut nearly 9,000 jobs as it struggles to weather the current financial storm
Industrial heartlands suffering most from recession - 14/04/09
Cities in the Midlands, the north of England, Scotland and Wales that have yet to recover from previous recessions are suffering the most in the current downturn, research has shown
Cities in the Midlands, the north of England, Scotland and Wales that have yet to recover from previous recessions are suffering the most in the current downturn, research has shown
News Article Search
Quick Apply
News Archive