Footfall up but sales down
Shopper numbers on Valentine's Day fell 10.8 per cent year on year, as shoppers eschewed extravagant gestures of their love for smaller purchases.

The figures are directly comparable with Valentine's Day last year, which was early on in the week and, like this year, fell during half-term.

SPSL director of knowledge management Dr Tim Denison said: 'Traditionally, Valentine's Day provides retailers with a fairly lacklustre enticement to lure shoppers, compared with Easter, for instance. The poor showing possibly demonstrates that people really have got more pressing commitments for their resources given uncertainties in so many areas. Sure, shoppers were out, but they were much more likely to be buying just one of the usual favourites, such as cards, flowers, chocolates or champagne this year, rather than all of them.

'Looking forward to Easter, it will be later this year than last, which will certainly help the DIY sheds and garden centres. However, early signs are that less will be spent on the home this Easter than in recent years due to faltering house values and rising fuel and other costs.'

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