RETAILERS do not expect Christmas business to take off until the week leading up to the festival.

According to accountants Deloitte & Touche's annual Christmas retail survey shoppers will gamble on an early start to the sales. Richard Lloyd-Owen, head of the firm's consumer business sector, said: "Both retailers and consumers are definitely more cautious about Christmas spending this year. More than half certainly expect their competitors to bring on their sales even earlier than last year." The average shopper is forecast to spend is £522 this year, but in Sussex we are expected to splash out slightly more, £528. In the North East they will be on a £666 spending spree. East Anglians have the tightest fists and will get through a mere £455. Despite the downturn in High Street sales since June and the fall in consumer confidence, 72 per cent of retailers expect some growth this Christmas. However, Father Christmas appears to be a casualty of harder times. This year he is only appearing in ten per cent of stores compared with 22 per cent last year.

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