British Retail Consortium worry over downward sales

The British Retail Consortium has spoken of the ‘worrying’

downward turn in retail sales. Even though slightly more positive than expected, the official figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) still confirm negative looking sales returns.

Stephen Robertson, Director of British Retail Consortium, said, ‘This is a more positive picture than from our own figures which showed the value of total sales below a year earlier. But the ONS might revise down their March figures just as they have done for January and February.’

He continues, ‘Even so, the ONS figures confirm a worrying downward trend for retail sales. Annual growth in sales values is a quarter of what it was in January and the worst since April last year which was hit by the earlier Easter.’

‘This April's figures will be helped by Easter and the Royal Wedding. That's welcome but won't change the fundamentally weak conditions likely to undermine consumer confidence for some time yet.’