30/09/2009 - Retailers end four-month sales drop
Trading for retailers has ended a four-month fall as grocers and shoe shops exceeded expectations for trading, a survey has revealed.
September figures show a slight growth in sales, which is expected to hold during October. The CBI business group, who conducted the survey, has labelled the situation "encouraging".
A mixed picture for retailers showed an overall rise, with 39% of retailers indicating a rise in sale volumes and 26% seeing a fall. The 3% rise, compared with a 16% drop in August, is the first positive move for the survey since April.
Grocers and retailers of footwear and leather saw strong growth year on year, while clothing, furniture and carpet stores saw the rate of decline ease.
Motor traders' sales volumes were broadly flat as the Government's "cash-for-bangers" scheme helped prop up the sector, but respondents - surveyed before the scrappage programme was extended this week - predicted a sharp fall off in sales next month.
Andy Clarke, chairman of the distributive trades panel, said: "With unemployment rising, wage growth low, and consumers building up their savings, spending is likely to remain subdued for some time."
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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