According to recent research from VISA, retail sales have been falling for six months, with consumers shifting spend from retail to leisure, an alarming trend for retailers. Many retailers hoped that the well-timed Spring bank holidays would lead to a boost in sales, but initial analysis has suggested a less than rosy outlook. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) found that Easter did boost short-term sales but look to longer-term signs of a slowdown.

With one last bank holiday left in the first half of 2017, and consumer spending slowing down, retailers must make the most of this key sales opportunity before a potential dry spell until later in the year. So what are consumers looking to buy across the bank holiday, and how can retailers optimise their sales?

In May 2016, eBay found that the most searches were done in home and garden, with heavy spending on garden furniture, lawnmowers, saws and sofas. However, BDO found that high street sales for homeware fell across April of the same year, despite the timely bank holiday. The exception was in store sales, with average spending tending to be higher in store. Channels which can support driving consumers in store should be deployed to make the most of this opportunity.

Toys and children clothing has also seen a historical boost across Spring Bank Holidays, with parents perhaps more focused on entertaining the kids at home, as more and more choose to take a staycation.

KPMG found that food and drink sales soared across the first two Spring Bank Holidays, suggesting entertaining remains at the heart of bank holiday. At ESBConnect, we have seen similar trends, with wine and beer sales soaring among the brands we work with, driving an uplift in sales of 67% from March to April 2017.