UK shoppers spending more on the high street than last Christmas
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Department stores saw a rise in sales of almost 7%, though clothing and accessories were down 2%. Shoppers surged on to UK high streets on Saturday amid signs they are spending more than last year in the run-up to Christmas as retailers hope for a last-minute rush.
Spending was up 2.3% year on year during the seven weeks to 20 December, led by a 6.1% rise online, according to the credit and debit card provider Visa. Shoppers focused on electronics and homewares, with sales rising almost 7% in department stores and electronics sales up 1.3%.
However, consumers are clearly choosing how they allot their budgets very carefully, with sales of clothing and accessories down 2% year on year, suggesting it has been a difficult end to the season for the fashion industry after a mild autumn that sparked a wave of discounting.
“This holiday season we observed a tentative rebound in consumer confidence, reflected in moderate growth in overall sales and stronger online shopping – as well as solid growth in spending at department stores,” said Alicia Ngomo Fernandez, the head of UK consulting at Visa.
The average UK household had 10.5% more disposable income in November, marking six consecutive months of double-digit increases as pay rises continued to outstrip inflation, according to new data from the Asda Income Tracker, put together by the analysis firm Cebr.