In July to September — the first three full months since the reopening of retail in the United Kingdom — a number of retail categories saw positive year-on-year sales growth, despite retail sales as a whole being down 25 percent compared with the same period in 2019, according to Savills.
Jewelry sales saw notable growth of 3.9 percent over the third quarter, with the subsector capitalizing on the current restrictions by adopting an appointment-only/one-to-one customer approach. According to Savills, this greater focus on customer service, with higher conversion rates and increased transaction values, is likely to have resulted in this uplift.
In addition, fast food and takeaway outlets saw an increase of 5.6 percent over the same period, driven by the Eat Out To Help Out initiative in August and the continued trend toward takeaway orders as people limit their social activities. However, despite having a strong month in August, restaurants did not show the same sus
