After two years of cutbacks, the Shop and Display Equipment Association (sdea) announced that sales are once again on the rise.
In the latest survey of its membership, the association revealed that 72.2 per cent registered an increase in sales over the last six months compared with the previous six months.
Additionally, members said in comparison compared to the same period last year, sales are also increasing as 63.9 per cent of respondents reported an increase in business, year on year. This represents an improvement from just six months ago when only 13.8 per cent reported increased sales year on year.
According to sdea, looking ahead over the next six months this upward trend is expected to continue. 38.9 per cent of those surveyed are expecting sales to increase and a further 55.6 per cent are anticipating maintaining similar sales levels. Favourable results were also forecasted for the next 12-months with 50 per cent saying there were confident of increased sales and 44.4 per cent expecting similar sales figures.
“Our survey confirms the renewed energy and confidence now being experienced within the shopfittings and display market,” Lawrence Culter, sdea director, said.
“It is a testimony to the tenacity of the huge majority of established retail display suppliers that they were able to cut back, retrench and fight their way through the recession.”