The good, the bad, and the ugly

The Christmas trading period this year may not have been a total wipeout, but it was a big disappointment for many retailers. And the stores sector is not out of the woods yet.

While some retailers shook off the recession quicker than others, the snow just before Christmas certainly affected the trends seen in this year’s OC&C Christmas Trading Index. Snow aside, there are two prominent patterns of performance. One set of retailers is doing well, buoyed by richer consumers whose spending habits are less affected by inflation and the Government’s proposed cuts.