"With disposable incomes under constant pressure, retailers remain concerned about the general business outlook for the rest of 2012"
- Judith McKenna, chief operating officer of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Retail sales index in the U.K. rose in February, said the Confederation of British Industry on Tuesday. The gauge measuring sales edged higher to -2 from -22 in January. Above 0 indicates higher sales volume, below indicates lower.
"Consumers have more life in them than previously thought and have been quite sprightly so far in 2012," IHS Global Insight economist Howard Archer said on the CBI poll.
"It's good to see more positive signs on the high street, but consumers are clearly continuing to focus spending on day- to-day needs rather than big-ticket or luxury items," said Judith McKenna, chief operating officer of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and chair of the CBI's distributive trades panel.
"With disposable incomes under constant pressure, retailers remain concerned about the general business outlook for the rest of 2012."
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