High street sales suffer with onset of bad weather

According to the British Retail Consortium sales during November were up only 0.7% versus last year, total sales were up 2.8% for the period compared with last November where growth stood at 4.1%.

Food retailers saw a 3 month increase of 2.2% on a like for like basis, though the BRC did state this was in part down to food inflation so not a clear increase. Non-food suffered worse with a drop in sales coming in at a drop of 0.5% in sales.

The British Retail Consortium Director General has stated that “With the final run-up underway, Christmas performance is delicately poised, overall, the extreme weather has dramatically undermined sales over the last 10 days. Retailers will be hoping disruption eases so that sales lost early in the month are made up over the next couple of weeks and not lost entirely.”

Online sales in November grew 10 times faster than the equivalent store sales, although online, mail and phone orders represent just 6% of retail sales.

“It’s crucial to remember that this is rapid growth in just one small corner of overall retailing,” Robertson added.

With a reported break in the bad weather this week it is expected the cold snap will return next week and in the run up to Christmas.