Shoppers splashed the cash before Christmas
Shops have reported strong sales for last month as customers splashed out on bumper Christmas celebrations despite the surge in Covid-19 cases, according to new figures.
The latest British Retail Consortium-KPMG retail sales monitor revealed that sales rose 2.1% in the month to January 1 compared with the same period last year and likefor-likesaleswere0.6%higher.
Thedatashowsgrowthwas particularly driven by nonfood spending.
Over the three months to December, non-food retail grew 4.8%, while food sales reported a 0.4% rise.
HelenDickinson,BRCchief executive,said:"Despitetherecent Omicron outbreak, retail sales held up through December.
"Manypeoplechosetoshop online rather than travel to nearby high streets and shopping centres.
"In the face of rising case numbers and supply-chain issues, people in retail pulled out all the stops to ensure everyone got what they wanted this Christmas."
Paul Martin, UK head of retail at KPMG, said: "Although thespreadoftheOmicronvariant and updated Government guidelines slowed spending during the final weeks of the year consumers continued to headtothehighstreetfortheir festivegiftsandnotleavingonlinedeliveriesarrivingontime to chance.”
Meanwhile, figures from
Barclaycard revealed a jump in essential spending for the month but indicate the spread of Omicron has weighed on hospitality and leisure spending.
The credit card spending data showed that total spending rose 12.2% in December on thebackofa13.7%riseinessentialspending-drivenbysupermarket shopping and fuel.