Good weather lifts UK retail sales
Retail sales in May were up 0.8% on a like for like basis compared with May 2009 which is a very positive move especially in the current environment. The British Retail Consortium believes that the good weather of the last few weeks has brought consumers out in large numbers with particular interest in clothing and footwear as well as a return to growth for food sales across the UK. So what does this mean for the future?
While some of the bigger ticket items are still suffering there is hope that the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa will inject more enthusiasm into the consumer market and indeed lead to increased sales of televisions and football associated merchandise. Historically an event such as the World Cup has given consumers around the world the chance to forget their troubles for even a short time. The very fact that the England football team is one of the favourites for the tournament is a further positive for the retail sector!
There is no doubt that simple issues such as good weather can have a major impact on retail sales in the UK and consumer confidence. Hopefully we should see sunshine over the next few weeks and hopefully a recovery in UK retail sales.
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