Some good news for gift retailers is that the British Retail Consortium (BRC) launched a new national advertising campaign on Monday (October 19) calling on the public to start their Christmas shopping earlier to help spread demand during the busiest shopping time of the year.
The BRC ‘Shop Early’ campaign has started on national and local radio stations and will run across national print and social channels through until early November.
The campaign is designed to encourage the public to embrace the true Christmas spiritby thinking of others and preventing the usual retail rush seen through late November and December both in stores and online. With social distancing measures and other restrictions in place, retailers are urging customers to begin shopping earlier to make sure everyone has the space they need to stay safe.

“While celebrations will no doubt be a little different this year, we know customers want to keep Christmas special,” says Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium.
“That’s why we’re encouraging people to shop early and prevent the last minute rush so their fellow customers and all the store colleagues, warehouse workers and delivery drivers working behind the scenes, have the space they need to stay safe and well.”
She added that BRC’s September sales figures show signs some customers have already started a little earlier than usual. “Spreading Christmas shopping has many benefits in today’s climate – from safety to managing finances. However, we want more people to embrace the true Christmas spirit, think of others and ‘Shop Early, Start Wrapping’ and most of all ‘Enjoy Christmas’ – however they are celebrating,” adds Helen.
Top: The British Retail Consortium is encouraging people to shop early for Christmas.