Christmas starts early for beleaguered high street retailers

The Christmas ad season is beginning as retailers seek to win consumers’ hearts and ultimately their wallets after a tough year on the high street.

Argos and Currys PC World are both launching their festive campaigns as November begins, with the former relying on a mischievous impish creature who is foiled in its quest to cause chaos around the house by one of the retailer’s Fast Track delivery drivers.

The ad airs for the first time tonight during Coronation Street on ITV and Gogglebox on Channel 4 from 9pm.

Currys PC World is also hitting screens ahead of the pack with its festive offering showing the potential of modernday technology to upgrade Christmas.

Scenes show carol singers using Microsoft Surface Pro tablets in place of hymn books and a woman using Google Home Hub to play Christmas tunes, through to a street vendor selling roast chestnuts that have been heated to perfection in an AEG steam oven.

Retailers will be hoping that consumers shake off their prebrexit dip in confidence and start spending soon after a torrid year on the high street.

Waitrose has reported sales of mince pies, advent calendars and stollen are already starting to rise, while John Lewis said gift food sales were up 14 per cent last week.

Marks & Spencer also said consumers were embracing Christmas already, with festive food orders up 13 per cent on the year, higher than ever before at this stage in the season.