Retailers battle to prepare for an unpredictable Covid Christmas

Businesses and buyers are preparing for a make-or-break festive season like no other
Marks and Spencer said that searches for Christmas-related items have tripled on previous years. The British Retail Consortium has launched a campaign encouraging consumers to start their festive shopping early
Marks and Spencer said that searches for Christmas-related items have tripled on previous years. The British Retail Consortium has launched a campaign encouraging consumers to start their festive shopping early
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The weeks leading up to Christmas are the most important and lucrative time of the year for retailers, which has led to the industry dubbing the final three months of the year the “golden quarter”. However, the margins between success and failure are small and retailers must order their stock at least six months in advance, meaning that they must make predictions well beforehand about what shoppers will want to buy. This year it will be even more challenging. Retailers do not know even whether their shops will be open or whether families will be able to celebrate together. This has significant implications for how and what retailers sell, meaning that the Covid Christmas of 2020 is likely to bring some notable changes by the