Bargain hunters head to Woolworths

Bargain-hunters are flocking to the high street once again as some of the country's biggest retailers slash prices to help boost sales. Tesco is cutting the prices of 1,000 Christmas essentials and gifts by 50 per cent in the latest round of discounting to hit the retail sector. Department store chain House of Fraser followed suit, offering the discount on selected items throughout its stores and on its website. The sales follow chaotic scenes at branches of Woolworths as shoppers clamoured to take advantage of a closing down sale at the struggling retail chain. Woolworths's administrator Deloitte, which is trying to find a buyer for the firm, said the chain experienced the single biggest trading day in its history as toys, entertainment and homewares were marked down by 50 per cent. It saw huge queues build up at some of Woolies' 813 stores as shoppers fought to bag a bargain. At the branch in The Pallasades shopping centre in Birmingham city centre, a line of shoppers waiting to pay for bargain goods stretched the whole length of the store. Marks & Spencer is also cutting selected prices by 30 per cent, with department store group Debenhams running its third five-day Spectacular pre-Christmas Sale. Stephen Robertson, director general of the British retail Consortium, said: "I have never seen anything quite like this in terms of the levels of deals, offers and promotions."

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ITN | December 12, 2008

Tags:. .woolies. .deloitte. .consortium. .tesco. .queues