Consumer confidence in the U.K. reached a very low point in December, paving the way for the bankruptcy of major retailers such as Blacks Leisure and Peacocks, although heavy discounting at the end of the month helped to boost sales of clothing and footwear after Christmas. In contrast with the general picture, Activinstinct, the British online sports retailer, has reported a 28 percent increase on a comparable basis in December. With its growing presence in France and Germany, total orders collected during the Christmas season were up by 110 percent, leading to a 70 percent increase in the total turnover. The company is now targeting increases of at least 40 percent in sales and 70 percent in profits for the current financial year.

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