Prospects for the UK retail sector are likely to remain bright into 2004 according to a survey of 150 industry leaders at an industry forum held in London late last week.

The exit poll of retail industry leaders at the Barclays Retail Industry Forum, showed just over half felt positive or very positive about the outlook for the retail sector for the next 12 months, with only 7.5 per cent pessimistic.

The poll also revealed 80 per cent believed Christmas trading prospects looked good or very good, with only one per cent predicting seasonal blues.

Barclays'' national retail director, Paul Clarke, said: "Encouraged by robust trading over the summer retailers are clearly upbeat as they enter the crucial Christmas period.
 
"There have been signs of an easing in deflationary pressures, with the trend decline in shop prices - which had been evident for over a year - being reversed in June.

"Indeed, although inflation in the high street remains modest and below the general rate of inflation, overall shop prices have been rising at an accelerating rate since June."