Shopping Spree

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retail sales fell again in December as the Christmas Shopping Spree has not been the case.

the sales volume fell by 0. 6% from November, the fifth consecutive month without growth,

in the midst of concerns about Economic Growth and the forecasts that The Bank of England could cut interest rates soon.

Food shops have been a hard fall taken, with the amount purchased by the greatest amount since December of 2016.

"Anecdotal evidence from A Number of shops given that the goods didn't sell as well as expected," said the ONS.

will be published The latest figures, the UK's High streets continue on the competition with large chains such as Mothercare and Thomas Cook go for broke in the last few months.

The December 2019, to pay, in contrast to those for the same month in the year 2018, Black Friday sale, but the ONS said it was seasonally adjusted its data to account for this shift.

Trading statements for the Christmas period from the country's largest supermarkets had already indicated that households spent less on festive fare in the year 2019 than in the previous year.

sales at food stores fell 1. 3% in December compared to the previous month, the ONS said.

the Department stores were also Under Pressure , with sales of 1. 8% month-on-month, as well as clothing stores, which saw a 2% decline in sales.

This is a further proof, if it were needed, that the December was a tough one for the dealer. The so-called Golden quarter was so far from sparkling and it is not clear that it was able to deliver what to many companies.

the Black Friday came late this year, really the pattern of expenditure has shifted, the sales simply pulled to the front instead of the increase of the total expenditure.

Although the wages are now rising faster than inflation, and healthier household finances as a whole, the retail sector is not getting his share of the expenditure from the disposable income that it once did.

But in the midst of the darkness, some dealers have done well by you want to the customer what, as well as together with the sale of The Right products at The Right price.

Household goods and fuel were the only sectors that saw an increase. Online sales accounted for expenditure of 19% of the December-retail, from the age of 18. 6% in the last month.

last week, The British Retail Consortium said it is to be paid in 2019 has been

"the image we see from the trade, that the buyer held the expenditure in the months prior to Christmas, the December month figure, there was no festive bounce, the ground lost," said Ed monk, associate director for personal investing at Fidelity International .

At the same time, Andrew, Carlisle, Managing Director and UK retail consulting lead at Accenture, struck a more optimistic note. "While these figures do not dispel concerns about the demanding UK retail climate, the picture is all doom and gloom," he said.

"consumer confidence rose to the highest level since July last month, the show, could there be better times in the year 2020. Retailers are going to see in the hope that an economic bounce-and regulatory-relief of an upturn in fortune. "

But Capital Economics' UK economist Thomas Pugh said the figures added to concerns about growth after This Week 's weak gross domestic product figures for November.

"December, almost falling, retail sales, in spite of an increase of the delay of the Black Friday does not Bode well for GDP growth in December and was able to cut nudge the MPC but still closer to rates at the end of the month," he said. A decline in inflation has increased expectations of a rate cut on the cards.

After it was released the retail sales data, the pound reversed earlier gains and edging lower, a further signal that the financial markets expect an interest rate cut.

office for national statistics, uk economy, retailing

Source of news: bbc.com