Data released by the UK government has revealed that sales in shops have seen zero growth during the month of February. Experts have said that the bad weather and the cost of living have contributed to a slowdown in retail sales. Although there was a slight boost in clothing sales, this was offset by falling sales in fuel and food, so the overall figures were balanced out. This followed a lacklustre December and the strong bounce-back in January – shopkeepers were hoping that this upward trend would continue.
Shopping experts had predicted that sales would fall somewhat in February, particularly as people are still feeling the effects of the pandemic. Although food prices have eased slightly, many people remain under immense pressure as a result of housing costs and fuel prices. As it is also still winter, there have been a number of spells of bad weather that have put people off from going out and shopping.
Despite this, sales in department stores increased slightly, as shoppers ordered from new seasonal collections. This increase in sales helped to balance out the drop in food sales. Shoppers who did venture out tended to spend more on indulgences, such as clothing. Experts have said that unless the government takes action to address the economic pressures, it is likely that sales will remain stagnant for some time
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