Co-op joins the Christmas price war

While historically one of the more low-key retailers in the UK, even the Co-op has decided to join the Christmas price war and will this week launch a package of price cuts and promotions valued at over £200 million. This is just the latest sign that the festive period will be difficult for UK retailers and the fact that more conservative retailers such as the Co-op are looking to aggressive pricing to increase their Christmas turnover is a sign of things to come.

The UK retail sector has been very difficult to say the least over the last two years and there are serious concerns that many of the smaller to medium-sized players will struggle to survive after the festive period is over. There is a feeling among some business leaders that UK banks are holding out until the festive period is over before reconsidering their positions regarding a number of UK retailers who have been struggling of late.

The high street in the UK is not a place for the fainthearted at the moment with even the bigger names struggling to increase their profitability and often having to give way on margin to attract the same level of turnover. As with so many sectors in the UK, the UK retail sector will be a very different animal after the recession has finally ended compared to the one which was flying high just two years ago.