Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) informed that UK apparel sales were disappointing in September and October.
Although there was a marginal rise in September volume compared with August, sales were down in October, dragging down the growth in non-food store sales. The effect of continuing weak sales was being felt by wholesalers.
Many womenswear independents stated that the customers bought heavily into lightweight knitwear but stayed away from cold-weather fashions, as the UK weather was overwhelmingly mild until October.
Only more recently, as the chill weather set in, customers started buying coats, woollens and heavy-tweed skirts. Menswear independents reported a surge in demand for suits, which have seen some office revival and are being worn casually with open-necked shirts.
The high street was sitting on a fairly large stockpile of coat and knitwear stock which probably encouraged some multiples into sales before Christmas. On a more positive note, the colder weather, together with widespread promotions and these sales days, boost clothing and footwear sales in November.
First established as a subsidiary of Australian Wool Services in 2001, Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) became a fully independent public company limited by shares and owned by Australian woolgrowers in 2002.
Australian Wool Innovation Limited