Leading market research agency Verdict in a release informs that a new market research reveals that sales of large sizes of women's clothes on the high street dropped to 61.6 per cent of total women's clothing sales in the 12 weeks to November 2005, compared with 64.4 per cent for the same period in 2004.
In the same period, online and mail-order sales for larger sizes rose to 14.3 per cent of total sales, from 13.1 per
cent.
The shift is attributed to larger women preferring to try on clothes in the privacy of their homes.
Announcing a 2.9 per cent rise in third-quarter underlying sales, Marks & Spencer chief executive Stuart Rose cautiously
avoided talk of recovery.
Mr Rose has warned of rising costs during 2006, although he hopes to avoid the general 4 per cent increase in costs.
Growth in the three months to December 31 for general merchandise, including clothing and homeware, achieved like-for-like growth of 0.8 per cent.
House of Fraser has announced strong sales growth over the festive period, outstripping market expectations, but has
warned that conditions are likely to be difficult this year.
Like-for-like sales rose 7.7 per cent in the six weeks to January 7, with total sales up 34.2 per cent following its acquisition of Jenners and Beatties.
Group like-for-like sales rose 3.6 per cent in the 23 weeks to January 7.
marketing@alchempro.com
