Shoppers in the UK indulged in heavy spending on food during the Easter period, according to new statistics from the British Retail Consortium.
According to the BRC, UK retail sales increased by 3.2 per cent on a like-for-like basis from March 2014, having decreased 1.7 per cent on the previous year. Sales were up 4.7 per cent, compared to a 0.3-per-cent fall in March 2014.
In addition, total food sales saw their strongest growth since July 2013, helped by the fact that Easter fell in March this year, compared to April last year.
Commenting on the findings, Helen Dickinson, director general of the British Retail Consortium, said, "People hit the high street in March, as the three-month average showed that brick-and-mortar stores have contributed more to growth than online sales – the first time since August 2014. Looking at retail as a whole, there was a 4.7-per-cent bump in sales, strengthened by the inclusion of Easter, but underpinned by slow but steady growth."
However, according to David McCorquodale, head of retail at KPMG, which helped compile the figures, the forthcoming election is impacting consumers' willingness to spend.
"Any retail recovery is built on confidence, and uncertainty around the outcome of the election continues to cast a shadow over the long-term recovery of the sector," he said. "If the result causes concern and confusion, this could be the factor that stifles consumer spending."
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news.
