Britain’s January Sale

The biggest clothing retailer in Britain, Marks & Spencer, posted their first increase in quarterly underlying sales for more than two years. They were short of analyst’s forecasts and now are among rivals in concerns of the uncertainty of 2010.  In the third quarter of last year, sales at UK stores that have been open for a least a year, rose 0.8pc, the estimate was 1.2pc. The popular retailer, John Lewis, adored by middle-class Britain’s is now holding their January sale and offering 50pc off some items.  Christmas sales climbed to almost 13pc in the five weeks up to January 2 for this chain, so it was a buoyant Christmas.

Another fashion retailer, Next, was happy to see in the twenty two weeks before Christmas, a rise of 3.2pc in sales. This chain has over 500 locations in Ireland and UK and founded in 1982.  Their “End of Season” sale is running now. But not everyone was frugal this past year. Fortnum & Mason, the luxury department store located on London’s Piccadilly known for its hampers, claims their website says it will offer discounts of up to 50pc. During the first weeks of December, their sales climbed over 10pc.