The FINANCIAL — Spending data from Barclaycard released shows that retailers have received a double blow to early April spending from the usual post-Easter slowdown and from the unseasonably cold weather.
Combined, these created a 4.8% decrease in overall spending compared to early April last year, according to Barclays.
Despite the overall fall, online spending continued to perform well as it increased by 10.5% compared to 2012.
Food and drink sales were particularly hard hit during the first week of April, with spend down 21% compared to the same week last year. Retailers also continued to experience lower consumer spending than normal at this time of year, with spend on clothing down 17.6% and department store spend down 17.1% as shoppers failed to start buying spring and summer clothes.
Some sectors of the economy did receive a boost though, with travel and hotel providers seeing spending increase by 4.1% and 7.5% respectively. The entertainment sector also received a boost from the school holidays, with spend up 15.5% on the same week last year.
Dave Chan, Chief Executive of Barclaycard Consumer Europe, said: “Consumer spending has taken a double hit from the unusually cold weather at the start of April and the post-Easter slowdown. However, one bright spot is that online retailers have benefitted from the weather as shoppers have gone online to avoid the cold.
“Having finally experienced our first weekend of warmer weather, we would expect to see sales at clothing and department stores rise over the next few weeks, as people venture outside and turn their attention to updating their spring and summer wardrobes.”
Notes to Editors:
Barclaycard spending data is based about half of all spending made in Britain. The data in this press release compares the first week of April (March 31 – April 06) to the week prior to Easter (March 24 – 30 2013)
Barclaycard spending data comprises data from the Barclaycard UK credit card business, Barclays debit cards and data from Barclaycard Global Payment Acceptance and accounts for approximately half of all spending made in Britain on cards.
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Retail and Business Banking, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.
The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issues credit and charge cards to corporate customers and the UK Government. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options and credit.
In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe and Africa.
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