Warmer weather set to kick start pre-Easter sales

Long-range weather forecaster Planalytics predicts a double-digit sales boost for clothing and barbecues in the week leading up to the Easter holiday, as a warm weather window puts spring in shoppers' steps.

Planalytics believes the earlier fall of the Easter weekend, kicking off on April 9 as opposed to April 18 last year, coupled with warmer and drier weather than the previous week, will conspire to deliver 'double-digit increases' compared with the same week of 2003.

However, the outlook for the week beginning Easter Monday is less positive.

Planalytics warns that retailers are likely to experience 'lower' consumer demand.