The food superstores are losing market share to the discounters and convenience stores as there is a movement of population back into the inner cities. New strategies are developing and Sainsbury's has made an agreed bid for Argos. Tesco has yet to show its hand, but it is staging an impressive recovery. The DIY retailers are suffering for many of the same reasons as the food superstores and one of the leaders, Homebase, has been taken over by Wesfarmers of Australia and will be converted to a wholly new format, Bunnings. Meanwhile Kingfisher is rolling out an ambitious programme unifying ranges and systems across its European businesses. In electricals Currys is fighting back against online competition by price matching and improving in-store service. The clothing sector is suffering from the poor performance of two of its leading players - M&S and Arcadia. But there is a new chief executive at M&S and all hopes must rest on him.

Consumer demand is holding up well, though there are considerable uncertainties from a possible EU exit to a global economic slowdown and there is much evidence that consumers want to spend more on leisure than retail. 2016 should be a solid, if unexciting year for retailers."