Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, noted that the 'crucial golden quarter' failed to give 2024 the send-off retailers were hoping for after a challenging year of weak consumer confidence and economic strain.
Linda Ellett, head of consumer, retail and leisure for KPMG UK, described the run-up to Christmas as showing 'minimal' growth, reflecting the 'ongoing careful management of many household budgets'.
Sales figures showed a 0.4% rise over the three months to December, but a 1.4% drop in non-food categories like clothing and footwear due to cautious spending.
Though December delivered a 3.2% year-on-year lift, this was flattered by last year's late Black Friday deals, not indicating true consumer growth.
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