British high street sales fell in December for the sixth successive year, a survey conducted by BDO, one of the world's largest accounting and consulting networks, showed on Saturday.
According to BDO's High Street Sales Tracker, in-store high street sales dropped by 1.9 percent in December compared with the same period last year, recording 11 straight months of sales decline since January 2018.
This fall also marked the sixth consecutive December to record decrease, despite retailers' various efforts in big discounting in the final week of the month.
In addition, lifestyle retailers and fashion sales plunged by 3.9 percent and 2.0 percent respectively year-on-year in December.
Survey said homeware sales were the only "bright star" on the high street thanks to festive shopping, with rising by 9.3 percent in December.
Sophie Michael, head of retail and wholesale at BDO, said: "As retailers suffered the worst year for a well over a decade for in-store sales, it's clear that consumer confidence is low."
"Shoppers have exercised extreme caution or shopped strategically online, seeking out discounts rather than visiting bricks and mortar stores or making impulse purchases" she added.
According to BDO's High Street Sales Tracker, in-store high street sales dropped by 1.9 percent in December compared with the same period last year, recording 11 straight months of sales decline since January 2018.
This fall also marked the sixth consecutive December to record decrease, despite retailers' various efforts in big discounting in the final week of the month.
In addition, lifestyle retailers and fashion sales plunged by 3.9 percent and 2.0 percent respectively year-on-year in December.
Survey said homeware sales were the only "bright star" on the high street thanks to festive shopping, with rising by 9.3 percent in December.
Sophie Michael, head of retail and wholesale at BDO, said: "As retailers suffered the worst year for a well over a decade for in-store sales, it's clear that consumer confidence is low."
"Shoppers have exercised extreme caution or shopped strategically online, seeking out discounts rather than visiting bricks and mortar stores or making impulse purchases" she added.
Latest comments