The 19th annual Progressive Housewares Retail Barometer has shown that 55% of indie cookshops and housewares retailers reported improved trade in 2023 vs 2022.
Except for the post-pandemic era of 2021, where 62% said trade had been better than in 2020, 2023 is now the best year in the history of the PH Retail Barometer. 55% said their business fared better in 2023 than 2022.
Unfortunately, more also reported business was worse in 2023, with 26% reporting a worse year in 2023 than in 2022, compared with 33% the previous year.
Those who reported an improved year in 2023, saw an average sales increase of 11%. Those retailers who saw a downturn in trade, reported an average decrease of 15%.
Although consumer budgets are still under pressure, 55% of retailers told PH that the average spend per customer in 2023 had increased slightly. 18% said the average basket had stayed about the same during the year, while 27% saw a slight decline. For 2023, nobody reported either a significant increase or significant decrease.
