'Black Friday' discounts boost retail sales in November - BRC
LONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - A "Black Friday" shopping spree pushed British retail sales growth to a three-month high in November as shoppers splashed out on household goods and furniture, according to an industry survey on Tuesday.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said total retail spending was 2.2 percent higher in November compared with the same month a year ago and compared with 1.4 percent growth in the year to October.
On a like-for-like basis -- a measure that strips out changes in floor space and is preferred by equity analysts -- retail sales rose 0.9 percent, after no change in October.
Britain's economic recovery has been driven mostly by spending by consumers. Wages have grown slowly since the financial crisis, but a fall in inflation to its lowest levels in five years has helped restore some lost purchasing power.
For the first time, most British retailers fully embraced U.S.-style Black Friday promotions this year, helping to kick off trading early in the key Christmas period.
BRC Director General Helen Dickinson said even retailers that didn't discount for Black Friday saw sales increase last month.
"These are encouraging signs in the run-up to Christmas, when consumers will likely want to push the boat out even more," Dickinson said.
Spending on food again fell during November, albeit at a slower pace -- down 1.2 percent year-on-year compared with a 1.4 percent decline in October.
British supermarkets are in the midst of a price war as established retailers such as Tesco TSCO.L and Wal-Mart's Asda WMT.N try to fend off German discount chains Aldi and Lidl, which have increased their market share recently.
A survey commissioned by Barclays found that 65 percent of British retailers that sell both online and in stores planned Black Friday promotions.
Police were called in to control crowds that had gathered overnight in London, Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow, drawn by cheap televisions, kitchen goods and clothes.
((Reporting by Andy Bruce)Editing by Larry King; andy.bruce@thomsonreuters.com; +442075423484; Reuters Messaging: andy.bruce.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)
