Svensk Handel, the group that represents the retail sector in Sweden, has said that retail confidence has declined in January, with a barometer measuring future trading expectations lower than it was at the same point in 2018 and 2017.
Svensk Handel's monthly trading barometer found that the future indicator was down 6.6 units to 90.5. However, at the same time, future indicators in the e-commerce sector are rising, by 1.5 units to 109.2.
Lower Consumption
"Many consumers are holding back on consumption after Christmas, which makes January one of the weakest months of the year for trading," commented Karin Johansson, Svensk Handel president.
"With Christmas shopping in the rear-view mirror, it is not surprising that future optimism is falling, however, it is somewhat worrying that the levels are lower than in previous years."
On the optimism in the e-commerce industry, which is seeing positives in terms of future profitability and employment opportunities, Johansson added, "There are still several sub-sectors in the trade that have great potential to grow further online. Many Swedish e-retailers have reason to see a bright future."
Svensk Handel, which is part of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, represents the retail and wholesale sectors in Sweden, which includes approximately 10,000 member companies.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
