Online shopping and food retailers are forecast to be the winners this Christmas as consumers keep a tight rein on spending on clothing, homewares and other non-food items.
Total retail spending is expected to rise 4% in December, compared with the same month in 2017, to reach nearly £48bn excluding VAT, according to data from the market research firm Mintel.
Food sales are predicted to rise by 3.3% to £18.6bn, benefiting from a mix of inflation and a fightback by the major supermarkets against grocery discounters such as Aldi and Lidl.
