 Retailers are still optimistic of a positive Christmas sales season |
UK retail sales fell for the second month in a row in November, but stores are still confident of a buoyant Christmas trading season. The latest CBI distributive trades survey found that 34% of retailers saw sales fall in November compared with last year, while 25% saw a rise.
That gave a balance of -9, the weakest since March's figure of -16.
The rosy Christmas outlook was backed by significant November sales growth for wholesalers, who supply retailers.
'Deeply disappointing'
"We can only hope this forward planning makes the tills ring louder in December," said John Longworth, executive director of Asda and chairman of the CBI's distributive trades survey panel.
"Once temperatures start to fall in December, following the milder-than-usual autumn months, we should see excitement building again to Christmas."
According to the survey, the mild weather meant November was a poor month for clothing and footwear shops.
It also saw grocery stores report their first drop in monthly sales for almost a year.
Howard Archer, an economist with Global Insight, said that retailers were struggling to push through the price rises they wanted.
"The CBI survey is deeply disappointing, even allowing for the dampening effect on clothing sales resulting from the mild weather."
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