Retail Week looks ahead to the next seven days with full-year figures from Conviviality, plus the latest footfall and retail sales data all on the agenda.
Conviviality
The owner of Bargain Booze and Wine Rack unveils its preliminary results on Monday. In May, Conviviality edged up its full-year profit guidance after what it hailed as a “transformational year” for the group. It has acquired drinks suppliers Matthew Clark and Bibendum during the year and opened 126 new stores, taking its portfolio to 716 at the year end. Conviviality also pulled off a coup by luring Argos chief operating officer David Robinson to become its new managing director.
Footfall
The latest BRC Springboard Footfall Monitor is revealed on Monday and should provide an indication as to how shoppers reacted to Brexit. Retail footfall rebounded in May, increasing 0.3% compared with the same month last year and marking a vast improvement on the 2.4% decrease suffered in April. But after uncertainty in the build-up to the EU referendum on June 23 – and the shock result of the vote – that apparent resurgence in footfall could prove to be short-lived.
Retail sales
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) posts its retail sales figures for June on Thursday, which should provide a barometer as to whether spending was impacted by the Brexit vote. According to ONS data, retail sales rose in May for the second consecutive month, as sales values climbed 3.1% year-on-year. Volumes were also up, advancing 6% compared with May 2015. Last month, analysts warned that the result of the EU referendum would “undoubtedly have an impact” on sales – and retailers will be eager to see exactly how much of an effect the vote had on different sectors.
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