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Articles by Kris Hamer
Consumer Sentiment Monitor - November 2024
Period covered: November 24Published: November 28, 2024Read time: 1min Consumer Sentiment Monitor Consumer Sentiment Monitor - November 2024 Dr Kris Hamer | Director of Insight | British Retail Consortium “After a prolonged period leading up to the Chancellor’s Budget helping to depress consumer confidence, the Budget itself did little to move the dial.
Retail Sales Monitor: Colder June dulled consumer spend
Period covered: June 24Published: July 09, 2024Read time: 15min Retail Sales Monitor Retail Sales Monitor: Colder June dulled consumer spend Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive, BRC: “Retail sales performed poorly in June as the cooler weather during the first half of the month dulled consumer spending.
Retail Sales Monitor: Easter Fails to Light Up Retail Sales
Period covered: April 24Published: May 07, 2024Read time: 15min Retail Sales Monitor Retail Sales Monitor: Easter Fails to Light Up Retail Sales Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive, BRC: Dismal weather and disappointing sales led to a depressing start to Spring for retailers, even accounting for the change in timing of Easter. People delayed typical Spring purchases despite retailers’ attempts to entice customers with heavy discounts.
Economic Monitor: Real wage growth to improve
The economic outlook for the UK has improved over the last month, with several indicators pointing towards recovering household incomes and a gradual improvement in consumers' financial outlook. The BRC Customer Sentiment Monitor for April suggests that most consumers expect the economy to improve over the coming months. Momentum has held up, and the UK’s return to growth over Q1 appears to have continued into Q2.
Retail Sales Monitor: Early Easter Brings Small Boost to Retail Sales
Period covered: March 24Published: April 09, 2024Read time: 15min Retail Sales Monitor Retail Sales Monitor: Early Easter Brings Small Boost to Retail Sales Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive, BRC: “While retail sales growth improved last month, this was largely driven by Easter falling unusually early and the subsequent uplift to food sales in the week preceding the long weekend.
Retail Sales Monitor: Retail Sales Slow as High Cost of Living Enters Third Year
Period covered: January 24Published: February 06, 2024Read time: 15min Retail Sales Monitor Retail Sales Monitor: Retail Sales Slow as High Cost of Living Enters Third Year Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive, BRC: “Easing inflation and weak consumer demand led retail sales growth to slow. While the January sales helped to boost spending in the first two weeks, this did not sustain throughout the month.
Economic Monitor: Outlook for inflation improves
The Bank of England (BoE), yesterday, voted to keep interest rates unchanged at 5.25%, stressing the need to keep rates elevated until inflation sustainably returns to the 2% target. Nonetheless, the economic growth outlook improved marginally, and 40% lower gas prices since the end of 2023 are feeding through into a rosier inflation outlook. Consumer confidence continued its improvement and perceptions surrounding economic conditions are finally escaping negative territory.
Time for tea, as shop price inflation falls further
Period covered: January 24Published: January 30, 2024Read time: 1min Shop Price Index Time for tea, as shop price inflation falls further Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive, British Retail Consortium: Some New Year cheer as January shop price inflation slid to its lowest level since May 2022. Non-food goods drove the fall, as many retailers offered heavily discounted goods in their January sales to entice consumer spend amidst weak demand.
Economic Monitor: Demand holds up at the end of 2023
Consumer sentiment improved once more, last month, and perceptions about economic conditions in the year ahead are becoming less pessimistic. This improvement was also reflected in services activity having rebounded in the last two months of 2023, with firms reporting better-than-expected consumer spending on leisure and hospitality services.
Economic Monitor: Consumer Confidence Improves in Run Up to Christmas
Services activity expanded last month, according to the Purchasing Manager’s Index, indicating economic activity may have marginally expanded over November. Consumer confidence had experienced a hiccup in October but demonstrated resilience with consumers feeling more optimistic about the state of their personal finances, ahead of the festive season.
Economic Monitor: Consumer Confidence Experiences Hiccup
"Overall economic growth is expected to plateau over the final quarter of 2023. Despite signs of a cooling labour market in higher unemployment and falling demand for workers, consumption continues to hold up and services activity even managed to expand in the run-up to the final quarter. Early survey evidence suggests consumer demand is weakening, and this is visible also in retail sales, with volumes showing slight declines relative to a year ago.
Footfall Monitor: Footfall slips back in September
Period covered: September 23Published: October 06, 2023Read time: 1min Footfall Monitor Footfall Monitor: Footfall slips back in September Helen Dickinson OBE | Chief Executive | British Retail Consortium During the warmer-than-expected weather, footfall slowed in September, with fewer shoppers across all shopping locations. High streets and retail parks held up slightly better as the return to school helped increase the number of shopping visits at the start of the month.
Footfall Monitor: Sunless summer sinks footfall
Period covered: August 23Published: September 01, 2023Read time: 1min Footfall Monitor Footfall Monitor: Sunless summer sinks footfall Helen Dickinson OBE | Chief Executive | British Retail Consortium Footfall took a turn for the worse in August as the summer sun failed to materialise. The impact was made worse when compared to last year’s heatwave, where many shoppers rushed to the shops to buy clothing, BBQs and other outdoor essentials.
Footfall Monitor: Footfall slowed during June heatwave
Period covered: June 23Published: July 07, 2023Read time: 1min Footfall Monitor Footfall Monitor: Footfall slowed during June heatwave Helen Dickinson OBE | Chief Executive | British Retail Consortium “Footfall was down on June last year as the hot weather meant that people opted to enjoy the outdoors. Shopping patterns are still finding a new balance, as the high cost of living is affecting people’s habits and choices. We saw fewer visits to shopping centres and retail parks than last year.
Economic Briefing Report: Inflation back into single-digits
Period covered: June 23Published: June 02, 2023Read time: 1min Economic Briefing Report Economic Briefing Report: Inflation back into single-digits Overall UK inflation has finally fallen back into single-digits. Much of the prior energy price rises have fallen out of the annual inflation calculation, bringing down the headline rate.
Footfall Monitor: Shopper numbers up in April
Period covered: April 23Published: May 05, 2023Read time: 1min Footfall Monitor Footfall Monitor: Shopper numbers up in April Helen Dickinson OBE | Chief Executive | British Retail Consortium “Footfall saw year on year improvement mainly in High Streets and Shopping Centres, which had been the most affected during the pandemic, and still have the furthest to catch up.
Footfall Monitor: Footfall Continues to fall in March
“Footfall remains below pre-pandemic levels, and the rate of strong recovery slowed in March. Households avoided big ticket purchases, resulting in lower footfall at Retail Parks, meanwhile High Streets and Shopping Centres saw strong footfall growth as these locations continued to make up ground lost during the pandemic.
Prices on a sugar high
Period covered: March 23Published: March 28, 2023Read time: 1min Shop Price Index Prices on a sugar high Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive, British Retail Consortium: Shop price inflation has yet to peak. As Easter approaches, the rising cost of sugar coupled with high manufacturing costs left some customers with a sour taste, as price rises for chocolate, sweets and fizzy drinks increased in March.
Footfall Monitor: Footfall boost from tourism bump
Period covered: January 23Published: February 03, 2023Read time: 1min Footfall Monitor Footfall Monitor: Footfall boost from tourism bump Helen Dickinson OBE | Chief Executive | British Retail Consortium Footfall saw strong growth this month as employees made more trips into the office and international tourism improved, compared with last year when some Covid restrictions were in place.
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