Business confidence has increased in the retail display industry, with sales up according to the Shop and Display Equipment Association’s (SDEA) latest half-yearly survey.

Research found that 57 per cent of respondents benefited from an increase in sales during the second half of 2013 compared with the first half of the year, while a further 24 per cent reported similar results.

Many shopfitting and display companies expect to do more business in the second half of the year, so the survey also compared sales with the same period during the previous year.  These figures were also encouraging, with 43 per cent of respondents reporting increased sales year on year and a further 33 per cent indicating no change. The average increase reported was 18.6 per cent.

Looking forward, more than 50 per cent of respondents expect their sales to increase during the next six months and 76 per cent predict an increase over the next 12 months.

In addition, the survey found that 19 per cent of respondents had taken on extra staff during the last six months, while 52 per cent said they expected to take on more staff over the next six months.

SDEA director, Lawrence Cutler, said: “Overall, these figures reveal a degree of business confidence not witnessed in the UK shopfittings and display industry for several years.”