Fat Face struggles over festive period as shopping model continues shifting to online

Casual clothing retailer Fat Face’s Christmas sales fell flat, amid “tough” trading conditions after a solid performance in the six months to December.

The company reported a six per cent drop in physical sales in December, driven by a shift to online sales both in the UK and internationally.

Ecommerce sales were up 16 per cent year on year, for the festive month, it added, while international sales rose nearly one-third.

“Early Christmas trading was tough with traffic in the market down during November. Black Friday appeared to be predominately an online event. Momentum then picked up in the final week before Christmas and continued through the Boxing Day sale,” the company said.

Anthony Thompson, chief executive of Fat Face, said Christmas shopping patterns appeared to be changing to an online model.

This, he said, was “driven by Black Friday and growing consumer confidence in online delivery speed and availability.”

“This resulted in an even later surge in December sales across our stores.”

“A combination of our full price strategy, international growth and investment in ecommerce and logistics’ delivered for Fat Face this Christmas.”

For the six months ending 1 December, sales were up two per cent year on year, while Ecommerce sales rose six per cent.