Last month’s heavy rainfall in the UK had a negative impact on retail sales as shoppers were less inclined to visit stores. The British Retail Consortium reported a 5.7% decrease in footfall at High Streets, retail parks, and shopping centers compared to the previous year. The cost of living pressures also contributed to weakened consumer confidence, leading to a reluctance in making larger purchases.
The CEO of the BRC, Helen Dickinson, noted that the rainy weather and Storm Babet deterred people from venturing out to shop. When they did visit stores, they were more purposeful in their purchases, opting for larger volumes. Dickinson described the retail market as volatile, with consumers being more cautious about significant expenses due to the cost of living pressures.
The retail sector is entering the “golden quarter,” a crucial period for annual profits encompassing the lead-up to Christmas and the Black Friday sales period. Andy Sumpter of Sensormatic Solutions emphasized the need for retailers to focus on capturing customer loyalty and optimizing their online presence to drive sales during this critical purchasing period.
According to the BRC data, Yorkshire and the Humber experienced the largest decline in footfall, with a 10.2% drop from the previous year. Among cities, Leeds saw the most significant decrease, while Edinburgh was the only city to show a rise in footfall. This data reflects the challenges faced by retailers as they navigate through the current economic climate and changing consumer behaviors.
Original news source: Rain hits shops ahead of key Christmas season (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Reporter Role-play
Instructions: Students are divided into pairs. One student plays the role of a news reporter, the other an expert on retail economics. The reporter conducts an interview with the expert on the reasons behind the recent decline in UK retail sales as described in the article, focusing on weather impacts and consumer confidence.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements based on the article about the impact of weather on retail sales and the strategies retailers should use to improve sales during the golden quarter. Students walk around the classroom and poll their classmates’ opinions on these statements, recording the responses. Afterwards, discuss the results as a class.
– Article Timeline
Instructions: Students work in small groups to create a timeline that illustrates the sequence of events and factors leading to the decline in retail footfall as mentioned in the article. They should include the impact of the heavy rainfall, Storm Babet, the cost of living pressures, and the onset of the golden quarter.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key terms from the article (e.g., footfall, consumer confidence, retail parks, volatile market, golden quarter). Students take turns drawing the terms on the board without speaking or writing words, while the rest of the class guesses the vocabulary.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: After reading the article, students individually write down their predictions for the UK retail sector for the next year. They should consider the challenges and potential strategies mentioned. Then, they share their predictions with a partner and discuss the likelihood and possible outcomes of each prediction. Finally, share a few predictions with the whole class.
Comprehension Questions:
1. By what percentage did footfall at High Streets, retail parks, and shopping centers decrease in the UK compared to the previous year?
2. What factors contributed to the weakened consumer confidence in the UK’s retail sector?
3. How did the weather conditions, including Storm Babet, affect shopping behavior according to Helen Dickinson?
4. What did consumers tend to do when they visited stores during the period of heavy rainfall?
5. What is the “golden quarter” and why is it important for the retail sector?
6. What strategies does Andy Sumpter suggest retailers should focus on during the “golden quarter”?
7. Which region in the UK experienced the largest decline in footfall, and what was the percentage decrease?
8. Which city was the only one to show a rise in footfall, according to the BRC data?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Last month’s heavy (1)______ in the UK had a negative impact on retail sales as shoppers were less inclined to visit stores. The British Retail Consortium reported a 5.7% decrease in footfall at High Streets, retail (2)______, and shopping centers compared to the previous year. The cost of (3)______ pressures also contributed to weakened (4)______ confidence, leading to a reluctance in making (5)______ (6)______.
The CEO of the BRC, Helen Dickinson, (7)______ that the rainy weather and (8)______ Babet deterred people from venturing out to shop. When they did visit stores, they were more purposeful in their purchases, opting for larger volumes. Dickinson described the retail market as volatile, with consumers being more cautious about significant expenses due to the cost of living pressures.
The retail sector is entering the “golden quarter,” a crucial period for annual profits (9)______ the lead-up to Christmas and the Black (10)______ sales period. Andy Sumpter of Sensormatic (11)______ emphasized the need for retailers to focus on capturing customer loyalty and optimizing their online presence to drive sales during this (12)______ purchasing period.
According to the BRC data, Yorkshire and the Humber experienced the (13)______ decline in footfall, with a 10.2% drop from the previous year. Among cities, Leeds saw the most significant decrease, while Edinburgh was the only city to show a rise in footfall. This data (14)______ the (15)______ faced by retailers as they navigate through the current (16)______ climate and changing consumer behaviors.
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Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What factors do you think influence consumer confidence in your country?
2. How would you feel if a storm or bad weather prevented you from shopping for necessities?
3. Do you believe weather conditions significantly impact retail sales in your area? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever postponed making a large purchase due to economic pressures? Can you describe the experience?
5. What strategies do you think retailers should use to boost sales during poor weather conditions?
6. How important do you think the “golden quarter” is for businesses in your country? Do you notice a change in retail activity during this period?
7. In what ways do you think online shopping can compensate for the decrease in footfall at physical stores?
8. Do you think customer loyalty is more important during tough economic times? Why or why not?
9. What is your preferred shopping method during the holiday season – online or in-store – and why?
10. How do you think retailers in your community can improve the shopping experience to attract more customers despite the cost of living pressures?
11. What is your reaction to hearing about a 10.2% drop in footfall in a specific area? Does it surprise you, and what do you think might be the cause?
12. Do you like the idea of shopping during big sales events like Black Friday? Why or why not?
13. How do you think changing consumer behaviors are affecting local businesses in your area?
14. What measures do you think could be taken to help small retailers survive in a volatile market?
15. Do you think the trend of purposeful purchasing—buying larger volumes less frequently—is better for the environment or the economy? Why?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. rainfall
2. footfall
3. reluctance
4. volatile
5. capturing
6. decline
7. significant
8. navigate
Meanings:
(a) Important or noteworthy
(b) Unwillingness or hesitation
(c) Find a way through or around
(d) Water that falls from the sky
(e) A decrease or reduction
(f) The number of people entering a place
(g) Attracting and holding onto
(h) Tending to change unpredictably
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What was the reported decrease in footfall at High Streets, retail parks, and shopping centers in the UK?
(a) 3.2%
(b) 7.5%
(c) 5.7%
(d) 6.9%
2. What contributed to weakened consumer confidence in the UK?
(a) Decrease in unemployment
(b) Increase in disposable income
(c) Stable economy
(d) Cost of living pressures
3. What deterred people from venturing out to shop, according to the CEO of the BRC?
(a) High prices
(b) Rainy weather and Storm Babet
(c) Lack of interest in shopping
(d) Traffic congestion
4. What is the “golden quarter” in the retail sector?
(a) The summer months
(b) The back-to-school season
(c) The post-holiday clearance period
(d) The lead-up to Christmas and the Black Friday sales period
5. According to the BRC data, which region in the UK experienced the largest decline in footfall?
(a) Yorkshire and the Humber
(b) London
(c) East Midlands
(d) North West
6. Which city saw the most significant decrease in footfall, according to the BRC data?
(a) Leeds
(b) Edinburgh
(c) Manchester
(d) Birmingham
7. What did Andy Sumpter of Sensormatic Solutions emphasize the need for retailers to focus on during the “golden quarter”?
(a) Expanding physical store locations
(b) Increasing prices
(c) Capturing customer loyalty and optimizing their online presence
(d) Decreasing advertising efforts
8. What did consumers opt for when they did visit stores during the rainy weather, according to the CEO of the BRC?
(a) Smaller items
(b) Larger volumes
(c) Expensive luxury goods
(d) Non-essential items
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Last month’s heavy rainfall in the UK negatively impacted retail sales, leading to a 5.7% decrease in footfall at High Streets, retail parks, and shopping centers compared to the previous year.
2. According to BRC data, Yorkshire and the Humber experienced the smallest decline in footfall, with a 10.2% drop from the previous year.
3. Consumers were more purposeful in their purchases, opting for larger volumes, and being cautious about significant expenses due to the cost of living pressures.
4. The CEO of the BRC, Helen Dickinson, attributed the decrease in footfall to the rainy weather and Storm Babet, which deterred people from venturing out to shop.
5. Andy Sumpter of Sensormatic Solutions emphasized the lack of need for retailers to focus on capturing customer loyalty and optimizing their online presence to drive sales during the critical purchasing period.
6. The cost of living pressures also did not contribute to weakened consumer confidence, resulting in a willingness to make larger purchases.
7. Among cities, Leeds did not see the most significant decrease in footfall, while Edinburgh was not the only city to show a rise in footfall, reflecting the ease faced by retailers in the current economic climate and changing consumer behaviors.
8. The retail sector is entering the “golden quarter,” a crucial period for annual profits encompassing the lead-up to Christmas and the Black Friday sales period.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. What factors contributed to the 5.7% decrease in footfall at UK retail locations according to the British Retail Consortium?
2. How did the weather conditions last month affect consumer shopping habits in the UK?
3. What period is referred to as the “golden quarter” in the retail sector, and why is it considered crucial for annual profits?
4. What strategies did Andy Sumpter of Sensormatic Solutions suggest retailers should focus on during the “golden quarter”?
5. Which region and city in the UK experienced the largest decline in footfall, and which city saw a rise, as reported by the BRC?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. By what percentage did footfall at High Streets, retail parks, and shopping centers decrease in the UK compared to the previous year?
Footfall at High Streets, retail parks, and shopping centers decreased by 5.7% compared to the previous year.
2. What factors contributed to the weakened consumer confidence in the UK’s retail sector?
The negative impact of last month’s heavy rainfall and the cost of living pressures contributed to weakened consumer confidence.
3. How did the weather conditions, including Storm Babet, affect shopping behavior according to Helen Dickinson?
The weather conditions, including Storm Babet, deterred people from venturing out to shop, and when they did visit stores, they were more purposeful in their purchases.
4. What did consumers tend to do when they visited stores during the period of heavy rainfall?
When consumers visited stores during the period of heavy rainfall, they opted for larger volumes and were more purposeful in their purchases.
5. What is the “golden quarter” and why is it important for the retail sector?
The “golden quarter” is a crucial period for annual profits in the retail sector, encompassing the lead-up to Christmas and the Black Friday sales period.
6. What strategies does Andy Sumpter suggest retailers should focus on during the “golden quarter”?
Andy Sumpter suggests that retailers should focus on capturing customer loyalty and optimizing their online presence to drive sales during the “golden quarter.”
7. Which region in the UK experienced the largest decline in footfall, and what was the percentage decrease?
Yorkshire and the Humber experienced the largest decline in footfall, with a 10.2% drop from the previous year.
8. Which city was the only one to show a rise in footfall, according to the BRC data?
Edinburgh was the only city to show a rise in footfall, according to the BRC data.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) rainfall
(2) parks
(3) living
(4) consumer
(5) larger
(6) purchases
(7) noted
(8) Storm
(9) encompassing
(10) Friday
(11) Solutions
(12) critical
(13) largest
(14) reflects
(15) challenges
(16) economic
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. rainfall
Answer: (d) Water that falls from the sky
2. footfall
Answer: (f) The number of people entering a place
3. reluctance
Answer: (b) Unwillingness or hesitation
4. volatile
Answer: (h) Tending to change unpredictably
5. capturing
Answer: (g) Attracting and holding onto
6. decline
Answer: (e) A decrease or reduction
7. significant
Answer: (a) Important or noteworthy
8. navigate
Answer: (c) Find a way through or around
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What was the reported decrease in footfall at High Streets, retail parks, and shopping centers in the UK?
Answer: (c) 5.7%
2. What contributed to weakened consumer confidence in the UK?
Answer: (d) Cost of living pressures
3. What deterred people from venturing out to shop, according to the CEO of the BRC?
Answer: (b) Rainy weather and Storm Babet
4. What is the “golden quarter” in the retail sector?
Answer: (d) The lead-up to Christmas and the Black Friday sales period
5. According to the BRC data, which region in the UK experienced the largest decline in footfall?
Answer: (a) Yorkshire and the Humber
6. Which city saw the most significant decrease in footfall, according to the BRC data?
Answer: (a) Leeds
7. What did Andy Sumpter of Sensormatic Solutions emphasize the need for retailers to focus on during the “golden quarter”?
Answer: (c) Capturing customer loyalty and optimizing their online presence
8. What did consumers opt for when they did visit stores during the rainy weather, according to the CEO of the BRC?
Answer: (b) Larger volumes
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Last month’s heavy rainfall in the UK negatively impacted retail sales, leading to a 5.7% decrease in footfall at High Streets, retail parks, and shopping centers compared to the previous year. (Answer: True)
2. According to BRC data, Yorkshire and the Humber experienced the smallest decline in footfall, with a 10.2% drop from the previous year. (Answer: False)
3. Consumers were more purposeful in their purchases, opting for larger volumes, and being cautious about significant expenses due to the cost of living pressures. (Answer: True)
4. The CEO of the BRC, Helen Dickinson, attributed the decrease in footfall to the rainy weather and Storm Babet, which deterred people from venturing out to shop. (Answer: True)
5. Andy Sumpter of Sensormatic Solutions emphasized the lack of need for retailers to focus on capturing customer loyalty and optimizing their online presence to drive sales during the critical purchasing period. (Answer: False)
6. The cost of living pressures also did not contribute to weakened consumer confidence, resulting in a willingness to make larger purchases. (Answer: False)
7. Among cities, Leeds did not see the most significant decrease in footfall, while Edinburgh was not the only city to show a rise in footfall, reflecting the ease faced by retailers in the current economic climate and changing consumer behaviors. (Answer: False)
8. The retail sector is entering the “golden quarter,” a crucial period for annual profits encompassing the lead-up to Christmas and the Black Friday sales period. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧
