Retailers overwhelmingly believe 2010 will continue to be tough but will not be worse than 2009, according to a survey published yesterday.
The survey from the British Retail Consortium said four out of five retailers said they expected sales next year to be the same as last year, none thought sales would be worse and a fifth thought they would be better.
But the BRC said retailers are concerned about a range of factors that could affect the strength and speed of the recovery in the New Year.
These ranged from weak consumer demand, rising unemployment, increases in personal taxes and weakness in the economy.
The BRC said nearly a third of retailers surveyed expected to cut jobs in 2010 compared with 2009.