Insight Report 7 minutes PremiumUK December Retail Sales and Christmas Wrapup: A Bumper Holiday Period Coresight Research January 23, 2017 Executive Summary Official data and company updates confirm that it was a bumper holiday season. Total retail sales grew by 7.1% in December, the strongest December growth recorded in decades. Grocery retailers enjoyed a bumper month, with sales up 4.3%. Internet pure plays and mail-order retailers saw sales growth accelerate even further, to 30.9%. Leading midmarket retailers such as Marks & Spencer (M&S), Debenhams, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons turned in better-than-expected top-line figures. Apparel saw an end-of-year improvement, with M&S reporting positive comps, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons citing strong growth and ASOS and boohoo.com beating expectations. This report is for paying subscribers only. Already a paying subscriber? Please log in to see the entire report.If you wish to learn more about our subscription plans and become a paying subscriber, click here. This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in: What the Ozempic Economy Means for US RetailAhead of Singles’ Day, Experiential Retail Will Be Key: China Consumer Survey InsightsGenerative AI Latest: US Companies Commit to Responsible Use, Consumers See Potential for New ApplicationsMarket Outlook: Department Stores in China—Consumer Shift Toward E-Commerce Squeezes Sales