Retailers in the United Kingdom have had the worst year

Retailers in the United Kingdom have had the worst year

Retailers in the United Kingdom have had the worst year in the history of records that began to be evaluated in 1995. The reason was restrictions on stopping the spread of the new coronavirus. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) informed about it on Tuesday. According to BRC data, total retail sales in Britain fell by 0.3 percent in 2020. This is the worst year-on-year result since 1995. Food sales rose by 5.4 percent, but sales of non-food products fell by 5 percent. In December, total sales rose by 1.8 percent. Before Christmas, consumers bought mainly food and other household goods. Revenues from these items increased by a double-digit number, in contrast to revenues from fashion goods, accessories and cosmetics, which recorded a double-digit decline, said Paul Martin from the consulting company KPMG. He pointed to the restrictions and closures of many insignificant stores, which was reflected in the weak December retail result. He added that conditions in the sector will continue to be challenging as blockades tighten.