The BRC has released its winter sales figures, with November spending rising by 4.2%. However, sales growth is still significantly below inflation.

November was bolstered by Black Friday spend as consumers took advantage of discounts, in addition to purchasing warmer clothing. But winter is still a bleak picture, with inflation masking lower sales volumes and consumers reigning in spend to cover higher energy bills and food costs.

Even with Christmas on the horizon, the period ahead will be difficult for retailers. They must acknowledge that cost is the ultimate driver, however, customer expectations are also higher than ever before. It takes one bad experience to lose a customer and is almost impossible to win them back. Communication that keeps the customer in mind at every point will create receptive and positive experiences that will generate profit, but more importantly, maintain loyalty during these challenging times and keep customers coming back for more.