Retail insurance customers are going to find the current trading conditions difficult and "there is no getting away from it", says an expert.
Helen Dickinson, head of retail at KMPG, an audit, tax and advisory service, says consumer confidence has yet to return to the market, meaning conditions are still poor for traders.
In the recent British Retail Consortium and KMPG retail sales monitor, figures for January showed a 1.1 per cent increase on a like-for-like basis, when compared to last year.
Ms Dickinson says that the start of the year looked more hopeful, explaining that the first week of the year saw "heavy discounting and consumers' response to clearance deals" leading to boosted trade.
She adds the figures would have given retailers hope, but they should still be prepared for poor trading conditions.
The expert says this month's figures will offer a "better picture" and a more realistic idea of the market's current state.
