Valentine’s Day proves a gift for UK retailers, as consumers hold back on big-ticket items

Purchases for Valentine’s Day were a highlight for UK retailers in February. Photograph: Peter Jordan/Alamy

An increase in Valentine’s Day gift-buying brought relief for retailers last month amid February’s “grey days”, as consumers held back from spending on big-ticket items, according to industry figures.

Jewellery purchases linked to Valentine’s Day were one of the highlights of an otherwise lacklustre month when sales inched ahead, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.