CULTURE Nov 16, 2023

UK stores went 'full Christmas' earlier than ever this year - Barclays Business Barometer

Retailers appear to have shifted the Christmas shopping season a bit earlier this year, with a new study from Barclays showing that festive-themed goods appeared earlier than ever, some even being in-store during June.

The latest Barclays Business Barometer, which measures the UK corporate business environment in areas including retail, also had some good news saying that the sector is showing "strong resilience" with retailers, expecting a rebound from last year's falling sales that was hit by the very high inflation and rail strikes.

Inflation has eased during this year with the latest figures, showing it at the lowest level for two years (4.6%). And retailers overall have expanded their workforces by 28% for the Christmas period to meet demand. The majority of retailers – that is as many as 60% – expect footfall in-store to increase this festive season. 

 

Looking at the details of how early some retailers started their festive push, the research showed that as many as 25% put up Christmas displays as early as September with 57% under way during October, despite November being the traditional kick-off month. Admittedly, only 1% started as early as June, but that's still 1% more than we'd have seen not so many years ago.

And with more consumers opting to do their Christmas shopping in person rather than online, 67% of retailers have invested in better customer experiences at their stores. In addition, 64% have invested in data analytics and other similar technologies in order to improve customer loyalty.  

But online still counts. Importantly, as well (given the crucial nature of the delivery experience during the festive season), 56% have also invested in their own delivery infrastructure this year, in order to minimise any supply chain disruptions for consumers.  

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