Table of Contents
UK Retail Sales
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- Key points
- Retail sales
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- Figure 1: Retail sales trends, January 2019 – November 2020
- BRC vs ONS
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- Figure 2: UK retail sales y/y growth, BRC vs ONS, January 2018 – December 2020
- Inflation
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- Figure 3: Annual % change in the consumer price index for selected product groups, January 2019 – December 2020
- Inflation and wages
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- Figure 4: Real wages growth: Wages growth vs inflation, January 2016 – December 2020
- Consumer confidence
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- Figure 5: Consumer confidence, January 2021
- Looking forward
Sector Focus – Online Retailing
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- December sees online grow 46%
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- Figure 6: All online retail sales (exc fuel), 2019-2020
- Household goods sales increase over festive period
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- Figure 7: % Change in selected online categories, 2019-2020
- Second national lockdown encouraged more online shopping
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- Figure 8: Changes in consumer behaviours due to COVID-19, 8th January 2021 - 13th January 2021
Launch Activity and Innovations
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- UK: Central England Co-op launches refill trial at Lichfield store
- UK: Boux Avenue reveals new sportswear collection
- UK: Hamleys launches on eBay to boost online presence
Headlines for the Month
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- Grocers
- Clothing retailing
- Multi-sector retailing
- Electrical retailing
- Carpet retailing
- Online
- Book and stationery retailing
- Pets and pet products retailing
- Jewellers
News Analysis – Food and Drink
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- Grocers
- UK: Aldi
- ...reports strong Christmas trading instore and online
- ...set to roll out click-and-collect service to over 200 stores for Christmas
- UK: Asda pilots vegan butchers counter ahead of Veganuary
- UK: Lidl customers to get £10 discount for shopping bills over £40
- UK: Morrisons
- ...rolls-out vaccine drive-through in 50 car parks
- ...teams up with Deliveroo to deliver Christmas essentials
- ...sees boost in Christmas sales as customers shopped early
- UK: Sainsbury’s
- ...warns of food shortages as France bans freight from UK
- ...to double Christmas workers to 12,000 to cope with online demand
- ...sees Christmas sales increase 9.3%
- UK: Tesco
- ...prepares for a no-deal Brexit as it warns of rising food prices and shortages
- ...rolls out limits on essential household items ahead of Christmas
- ...former Tesco chief executive to be knighted in recognition for efforts during the pandemic
- UK: Waitrose extends bookable shopping service to 110 stores
News Analysis – Clothing and Footwear
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- Clothing retailing
- UK: Arcadia
- ...administrators look for offers for Topshop flagship
- ...Frasers Group owner confirms interest in Arcadia brands
- ...Arcadia subsidiary Evans rescued out of administration by Australian retail group
- UK: French Connection receives funding for US business
- UK: Gap to permanently close Oxford Street store
- UK: Joules sees store sales drop 58% amidst tighter COVID-19 restrictions
- UK: Matalan HQ sold for £25m to founder
- UK: Moss Bros CVA proposals approved but no details yet on jobs impacted
- UK: Next sales ‘much better’ than expected after strong Christmas trading
- UK: Primark
- ...warns of £220 million loss due to Tier 4 restrictions
- ...owner reportedly interested in making Arcadia offer
News Analysis – Mixed Goods
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- Multi-sector retailing
- UK: B&M revenues up 22% in Q3 and rewards bonuses to colleagues
- UK: Frasers Group
- ...withdraws profit guidance as London goes into Tier 4
- ...half-year profits rise 18% thanks to post-lockdown demand
- ...confirms it will not make Mulberry offer
- ...Flannels to open 15 new stores in the coming five years along with first beauty hall
- UK: M&S
- ...reports a mixed set of Christmas trading figures
- ...rolls out instant payment solution to 200 stores
News Analysis – Household Goods
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- DIY retailing
- UK: Topps Tiles in a ‘fundamentally stronger’ position compared with first lockdown
- UK: Travis Perkins sales up 8.6% in October thanks to DIY demand
- Electrical retailing
- UK: Dixons Carphone sees 17% jump in sales and thanks the ‘grit and skill’ of employees
- Carpet retailing
- UK: Tapi Carpets sales up 30% as it continues to grow its store portfolio
- Furniture retailing
- UK: DFS expects interim profits to meet upper end of forecast despite ‘extensive’ disruptions
News Analysis – Online
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- UK: Made.com hands out shares in the company to staff following ‘extremely strong’ sales in 2020
- UK: Matchesfashion reports £6m loss for 2019 due to increased investments in operation and technology
- UK: Ocado increases profit outlook following 35% uplift in fourth quarter revenue
News Analysis – Other Retail
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- Health and beauty retailing
- UK: Boots owner sells majority of wholesale arm to focus on retail business
- Book and stationery retailing
- UK: Paperchase on the brink of collapse
- Sports and Leisure Goods Retailing
- UK: JD Sports
- ...buys independent menswear Wellgosh
- ...buys US footwear retailer Shoe Palace
- UK: Pure Electric starts European expansion in France and Spain
- Jewellers
- UK: Watches of Switzerland increase full-year revenue outlook following ‘strong trading’
- Pets and pet products retailing
- UK: Pets at Home increases profit guidance following ‘strong sales momentum’
News – Economy
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- UK: Retail sales grow 7.6% in November
- UK: London to be put under tier three restriction this week
- UK: London moves into Tier 4 and non-essential shops close less than two weeks before Christmas
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