Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2015: UK shoppers holding out to snap up bargains in November pushed October sales down
UK retail sales were disappointing last month, according to a survey by the British Retail Consortium released today, suggesting that some shoppers may be holding out for some deals around Black Friday at the end of November.
Retail sales decreased 0.2 per cent on a like-for-like basis from October 2014, when they were unchanged from the preceding year.
On a total basis, sales were up 0.9 per cent, against a 1.4 per cent rise in October 2014. Adjusted for the BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index deflation, total growth was 2.7 per cent.
BRC said that “total growth was below the three-month average of 1.8 per cent and the 12-month average of 1.9 per cent”.
It added that because Halloween fell on a Saturday this year, there was a negative impact on shopping that day. Categories popular on Black Friday – consumer electricals and toys – also registered some slowdown in October.
On the up side, “total food sales grew 0.5 per cent over the three months to October, and 0.3 per cent over the 12 months, which was its best performance since July 2014”, said BRC.
Read more: When is Black Friday 2015 in the UK and why do we celebrate it?
Helen Dickinson, BRC’s chief executive, said: “October was a somewhat disappointing month overall for retailers. A number of categories which we’d typically expect to be popular on Black Friday saw a slowdown in October, suggesting that some shoppers may be holding out in the hope of some great deals at the end of November.
“Furniture had a good month however, likely boosted by higher disposable incomes.
“With the Chancellor due to publish both the Autumn Statement and Spending Review in just a few weeks’ time, the government has an opportunity to help UK retailers to invest in growth and create new jobs by reducing the disproportionate burden of business rates and keep going with the structural review.”
David McCorquodale, head of retail at KPMG, said: “October certainly looks to have slowed on the high-street, with many retailers probably feeling more tricked than treated as sales were relatively flat overall.”