Bargain-hunting shoppers give retailers welcome January boost

“And, even if shopper traffic recovery has finally turned a corner, the challenge for retailers will be solving the next conundrum; how they balance enhanced footfall – which requires optimised store staffing to convert into sales – and the significant rises to labour costs borne out of the Budget on the one hand, with consumer appetite for discounts – a long-term margin-eroder – on the other, which will not be an easy circle to square.”