a year ago, new data from Barclaycard revealed. The insights also show that people are giving up

Consortium( BRC). Meanwhile, separate figures from Barclaycard revealed that consumer confidence also

and dried pasta, according to research by Barclaycard. Around 35 per cent of those who took part in

LONDON: British retailers reported weaker annual sales growth last month, reflecting growing pressure on consumer spending as well as seasonal factors around the timing of Easter which typically brings a boost to spending. The British Retail Consortium( BRC) said total retail spending among its members – mostly large chains and supermarkets – was 3.1% higher than a year earlier, compared with 6.7% annual growth in February. The BRC has estimated that prices among its members rose by 2.1% in the

High Street store takings sank by around a quarter amid the twin threats of Omicron and a soaking-or snow.... Bargain hunters also took their place outside Primark in Birmingham and Zara in Bristol. There were also crowds outside Selfridges, Boots, Primark, Disney and Zara in London's Oxford Street.... She said:" I am not really surprised by how many people are out because we have got to get on with it." There is always going to be another variant so what do we do?...

It said that consumers were planning to spend an average of ￡247 in the end-of-year sales. The Telegraph tracked the prices of 77 popular items, ranging from televisions and washing machines to designer perfumes and coffee machines.... It found that 45 per cent of the deals listed online were cheaper or the same price at some point in the past nine months.... Some shops are planning to slash prices further on Boxing Day, suggesting that shoppers are better off buying their items after Sunday.

They added: “ Although Boxing Day this year falls on a Sunday we’ve had a steady stream of visitors to Trafford Centre regardless of the shorter trading hours.... We expect to see plenty of interest in the sales period throughout the week ahead, with Monday 27 December being a priority for retailer promotions.” With the push to buy online, shoppers are expected to spend an average of ￡247 each at the end-of-year sales.... That is an increase of ￡85 in 2020 and ￡61 more than in 2019....

THOUSANDS of revellers were forced to queue for hours in the rain at Metrofest-which has been dubbed" the UK's Fyre Festival". Half of the headliners also failed to show up to the" disaster" event at Trent Park in north London yesterday.... " However, it was so badly organised, you could hardly hear the music from the main stage and there just ended up being a random DJ playing all day instead of the advertised acts.... They opened the doors late due to no water in the loos, employees seemed c