Retailers are satisfied with the Christmas trade, with half of respondents saying that sales during the festive season was better than in 2006, according to a Christmas shopping survey carried out by the Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises (GRTU).
Marcel Mizzi, who also conducted the survey, presented the results yesterday at a press conference.
He explained that the GRTU Christmas Shopping survey covered the period between 13 and 30 December, with respondents from over 300 retail outlets in Birkirkara, Paola, Swieqi, Zebbug, Valletta, Hamrun and Mosta.
When asked how the sales were during the Christmas period, 45 per cent of respondents said “not bad.”
Another 40 per cent said that trade during the festivities went well, while another 15 per cent described it as “bad.”
When asked if the figures lived up to their expectations, 35 per cent of retailers said that they did better than expected, while another 37 per cent said that trade remained the same. 28 per cent said that it was worse.
Half of the respondents said that their sales were much better when compared to last year, while 26 per cent said that the figures did not change. However, 24 per cent said that their sales had decreased.
Mr Mizzi also gave detailed percentages of the respondents’ reactions, and said that while 26 per cent said trade was five to 10 per cent better than the previous year, 14 per cent reported an increase of 10 to 20 per cent, seven per cent improved by 20 to 30 per cent and only three per cent reported an improvement of 30 to 40 per cent.
He also explained that 25 per cent of retailers said trade was exactly the same as the previous year. Added to this, nine per cent noted a drop of five to 10 per cent, four per cent saw a drop of 10 to 20 per cent, six per cent reported a drop of 20 to 30 per cent and another six per cent said trade went down by 30 to 40 per cent.
GRTU director general Vince Farrugia pointed out that retailers who had actually made an effort to improve trade during the Christmas period did notice an increase in sales.
Furthermore, he added, this year’s results were very similar to the results of the
Christmas period survey carried out in 2006.
Obviously when the retailers were asked if they would follow up trade with the usual January sales, 56 per cent said yes.
According to the survey, supermarkets and groceries were among those that noted a decrease in performance, with just six per cent saying they were worse off than last year. However, over half of respondents (53 per cent) said that their sales had increased.
Forty-two per cent of retail outlets selling clothes said that trade went well, while 29 per cent said that it was not bad.
Mr Mizzi explained that when respondents explained that sales were “not bad” it meant that they could not complain about the situation, but they’d expected better.