Consumer Confidence
Consumer confidence directly impacts the UK jewellery trade, influencing spending on luxury items and shaping retail performance. For jewellers, suppliers, and manufacturers, tracking shifts in consumer sentiment is vital for forecasting demand, planning inventory, and refining marketing strategies. Jewellery Focus delivers expert coverage on consumer confidence trends, market analysis, and insights into how economic and social factors affect purchasing behaviour across the sector.
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Aug- 2022 -10 AugustEconomy
Heatwave helps boost retail sales 2.3% in July
Retail sales increased 2.3% in July as the heatwave experienced across the UK helped boost demand for “hot weather essentials”, according to the latest data from the BRC and KPMG retail sales monitor. UK retail sales increased 1.6% on a like-for-like basis from July 2021, when they had increased 4.7%.…
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Jul- 2022 -29 JulyNews
Jewellery customers lower average purchases
Jewellery customers have lowered their average purchases in recent months as interest rate hikes and inflationary pressures throughout the UK have “dampened” consumer sentiment, according to Lily Arkwright. The sustainable jewellery retailer said it is seeing early signs of shift in consumer sentiment towards high value purchases. It added that…
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8 JulyNews
Cost of living crisis weighs on retail sales growth
High levels of inflation and the deepening cost of living crisis have prompted further slowing of retail sales growth, according to BDO’s High Street Sales Tracker (HSST). It found that total like-for-like (LFL) sales, combined in-store and online, increased by +8.4% in June compared to the equivalent month in 2021,…
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Jun- 2022 -14 JuneNews
First diamond verification showcase to take place in London
The London Diamond Bourse in collaboration with the Natural Diamond Council will be hosting the first ever London Assure Showcase of diamond verification instruments. The event will take place in London and will run from June 20 until July 29. The six-week event will take place at the London Diamond…
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10 JuneRetailers
Signet Q1 sales hit £1.4bn
Signet Jewellers has revealed its total sales increased 8.9% year-on-year to $1.8bn (£1.4bn) in the 13 weeks ended 30 April 2022 (Q1 FY23), rising by $149.5m (£120.19m). The retailer said the performance comes as customers responded to the “breadth and newness” within Signet’s assortment, including higher price point offerings, diamonds…
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May- 2022 -10 MayEconomy
Cost of living crisis begins to hamper consumer spending
Spending on essential items dropped to 18.1% in April, compared to 17.4% in March, as inflation and rising living costs are starting to impact the retail sector. Research from Barclaycard found this was largely due to spending on fuel falling from a record 26.1% increase last month to 23% in…
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Mar- 2022 -31 MarchEconomy
High street footfall continues to lag behind pre-pandemic levels
Footfall levels remain 23% below pre-pandemic levels in February 2022 as rising costs are reportedly set to “batter” retailers from 1 April, according to RSM. The latest data from Datscha, analysed by RSM, shows the overall decline in footfall is the worst in London with numbers on Oxford Street down…
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Feb- 2022 -21 FebruaryEconomy
Bira welcomes sales rise, but warns ‘all is not well’
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has said it is “pleased to see a rise in retail sales”, but warned retailers against “falling into the trap of thinking all is well”. It was commenting on the recently released figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for the UK retail…
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7 FebruaryEconomy
Consumer confidence falls for second consecutive quarter
The Deloitte Consumer Tracker has revealed UK consumer confidence fell by one percentage point in Q4 2021 to -11%, the second consecutive quarter of decline. Deloitte said the result comes after consumers started to feel the “squeeze of inflation” and pockets were hit with higher household bills. Personal expenditure in…
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Sep- 2021 -30 SeptemberTrade Organisations
The Natural Diamond Council expands Assure program
The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) has announced the expansion of its Assure program which was designed to protect consumers and safeguard the supply chain by supporting Diamond Verification Instrument manufacturers. The goal of this initiative is to maintain consumer confidence in the diamond jewellery industry. The program was first launched…
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