It is still tough times for companies in the retail trade after several years of high costs and low purchasing power from households, shows the Trade Barometer for December.
Even though households have started to look more positively on the future, consumption has not increased at the rate that the retail trade wishes. The specialty goods trade and wholesale trade saw some increases, but overall, all sub-sectors are still pessimistic.
However, Swedish trade looks with joy at the Swedish Central Bank's interest rate cuts, but the challenges are expected to persist well into next year.
"Future expectations have certainly risen during the year, but many companies are still on their knees. The industry sees the light at the end of the tunnel, but does not quite know how long the tunnel actually is," says Sofia Larsen, CEO of Swedish trade, in a press release.
