{"id":224410,"date":"2023-01-20T12:00:10","date_gmt":"2023-01-20T12:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theindustry.fashion\/?p=224410"},"modified":"2023-01-20T19:30:49","modified_gmt":"2023-01-20T19:30:49","slug":"retail-reacts-to-december-2022-ons-data-festive-period-has-not-been-as-fruitful-as-expected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theindustry.fashion\/retail-reacts-to-december-2022-ons-data-festive-period-has-not-been-as-fruitful-as-expected\/","title":{"rendered":"Retail reacts to December 2022 ONS data: \"festive period has not been as fruitful as expected\""},"content":{"rendered":"
The hopes that retailers would have the first good Christmas in three years were dashed on Friday as new figures showed the sector sold far less than expected as shoppers tightened their belts.<\/strong><\/p>\n Retail sales volumes were estimated to have dropped by 1% in December, the second month of decline, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.<\/p>\n The data also showed that shopping volumes fell by 3% in 2022 as a whole, compared to a 5.2% increase in 2021, when the economy was bouncing back from COVID-19.<\/p>\n Key experts across the fashion and retail industry reacted to the December 2022 data:<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cRetail sales dropped again in December with feedback suggesting consumers cut back on their Christmas shopping due to affordability concerns.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter last month\u2019s boost as shoppers stocked up early, food sales fell back again in December with supermarkets reporting this was due to increased food prices and the rising cost of living. Online sales dipped with feedback indicating postal strikes were leading people towards purchasing more goods instore.\u201d<\/p>\nHeather Bovill, ONS Deputy Director for Surveys and Economic Indicators:<\/strong><\/h3>\n