Christmas shopping: Expert advises ‘common sense’ approach

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Retail adviser Claire Bailey warned that coronavirus will still play a significant impact on Christmas shopping. While speaking on BBC’s 5 Live radio show, she insisted that Britons needed to use common sense as foot traffic for in-person shopping was still down across the country. She also warned to get ahead and shop early to avoid disappointments as shortages are being predicted.

Ms Bailey said: “Everything we have ever seen in the past where we have tried to create huge peaks of demand for Christmas and surges of shoppers to Oxford Street in the last minute sales, we kind of want to avoid that this year.

“This is because footfall is still down about 15 to 20 percent on 2019 levels now.

“The last thing anybody needs is a surge of shoppers going out and cases rising in parallel to it.

“I think that the shoppers and retailers alike will want to manage this in a sensible manner.

DON’T MISS: Two bikers killed in horror crash on busy main road near school

“You are absolutely right, I did some work many moons ago with Woolworths and it is quite clear that the toy providers would receive the planned sales forecasts for all of the different retailers.

“This was to make sure that the toys sold out.

“This is because once Christmas was done there wasn’t much chance of them moving them.

“I think this year I think everyone needs to look at things a little differently.

Oliver Dowden vows to 'put turkeys on the table' at Christmas

“They need to try to spread out their shopping, one advent calendar versus another, is it really that important.

“Everyone needs to instil a little bit of common sense that we haven’t yet seen.

“Hopefully we will take lessons learned from the toilet rolls and the petrol and perhaps moderate our behaviour in the run-up to Christmas, one can only hope.”

Petty Macron blocks EU contract for UK company to patrol for migrants [INSIGHT] 
Vine caller slams panellist for ‘cheap shot’ at UK envoy Ian Botham [COMMENT] 
Guy Verhofstadt needs ‘reality check’ after EU army call, says ex-MEP [REVEAL]

The UK’s current HGV driver shortages are expected to continue up until Christmas.

Boris Johnson and his Government have attempted to combat this by offering temporary visas for EU and international citizens in order to support the country during the festive period.

Boris Johnson has admitted that just 127 fuel drivers from overseas have applied for temporary visas.

The Government is offering immediate visas for 300 foreign fuel tanker drivers to work in the UK from now until the end of March.

Source: Read Full Article