December flooring sales just below 2019 level
January 21, 2022
December's retail sales in flooring were strong at just 1% below pre-pandemic trading levels and were significantly ahead of the furnishing sector performance as a whole.
The latest retail figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) puts the total value of flooring retail sales at £137m for December which is just 0.8% lower than the data for 2019 but double the poor sales for 2020 when consumers were prevented from visiting stores throughout the November lockdown that year.
The flooring data reflects buoyant trading in the run up to Christmas but some slowing of the "pent-up demand" bonanza of the Autumn in some areas.
The flooring figures were ahead of the performance of the furniture sector overall which showed a sales performance 4.5% below December 2020 and 3% below pre-pandemic 2019.
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