1 May 2009
People are cutting back on buying unnecessary items in a bid to save money, one expert reveals.
Richard Dodd, Spokesperson for the British Retail Consortium (BRC), says consumers are worried about their spending, particularly if their jobs are under threat.
"Even if they are not currently feeling the pressure personally then of course they [expect] they are going to," the expert continues.
Mr Dodd believes worry stems from job insecurity as well as tax increases and meeting bills in the future.
BRC statistics show that UK retail sales values fell 1.2% on a like-for-like basis and rose only 0.6 per cent on a total basis from March 2008.
Furthermore, it found that food sales were remaining strong, which could be down to inflation.