Shoppers hit shops in spending spree

Shoppers in Sunderland welcomed the return of nonessential shops last week with a spending spree, new figures suggest.

Shoppersinthecityspent 73%morelastweekthanthey did before the first lockdown in March last year, according to data from banking services firm Revolut – with Primark the most popular shop.

The first day of trading saw even higher levels of spending – with 159% more splurged than the average Monday in February of last year.

As coronavirus restrictions eased many retailers were allowed to open their doors for the first time since earlyJanuaryandRevolutanalysed the data of 4,000 of its customersinSunderlandbetween April 12 and 18 – comparingittotheaverageweekly spend in February 2020.

Withbarslackingoutdoor spacenotabletoservedrinks yet, spending in Sunderland pubs was 22% down on February last year – but the data suggests pub-goers spent a little more than usual when buying rounds.

The average transaction inpubsintheareawas£12.96 lastweek–up24%onthetypical £10.48 spend across an average week before the pandemic.

Nationally, retail spendingincreased by 92%, the firms figures show.

Revolut spokesman Nicholas Taylor said: "Spending was up across the whole week– suggesting that consumer confidenceisresilient.Thisisgreat news for the thousands of localshops,pubsandcafes,and the people they employ."

Chief executive of The British Retail Consortium, Helen Dickinson, added: “With case numbers continuing to drop, retail has a key role to play in the wider economic recovery.”