Retailers say clothes sales are surging as cold snap continues

Retailer Lulu Group reported an increase of up to 30 per cent in January sales of winter clothes compared with the same month last year as a cold snap grips the UAE.

V Nandakumar, the group’s director of marketing and communications, said Lulu noticed an increase in the sale of winter gear towards the end of January, a surge that typically happens in November and December.

Mr Nandakumar said annual end-of-season sales played a role but the cooler temperatures across the UAE in the past few weeks also made a difference.

He said sales rose by up to 30 per cent in January, compared with last year.

“Normally, we don’t see a jump at the end of winter,” Mr Nandakumar told The National.

“This time we have. This year, we are experiencing cooler temperatures in January and February, so people who did not have something [warm] started to look.

“We saw increased interest in warmer clothes towards the third week of January onwards.”

People are buying jackets, sweaters, boots, mufflers, caps and hoodies as conditions remain cool and dust clouds, rain and strong winds are reported across the UAE, Mr Nandakumar said.

A store manager at Decathlon UAE in Dubai said there was an “incredible increase” in people buying winter gear and clothing.

Dubai Police last month launched a winter clothing drive to support more than 300 blue-collar workers.

About 350 workers living in accommodation in Jebel Ali were provided with warm clothing to help them cope with the cooler months.

Mr Nandakumar said sales of winter clothes in the UAE are increasing not just to ward off the cold but because people want to feel the “vibe of winter”, which he attributes to a range of factors including social media trends, global fashion and influencers.

“Winter lifestyle and winter fashion has gained momentum for Lulu generally,” he said. “We have seen increased demand.”