British expats in January sales splurgePost by David Elliott on 23rd January 2012 in Industry news Wealthy overseas visitors and British expats have helped to boost January sales figures at some of the UK's high street shops. According to a report by The Telegraph, a number of leading retailers have reported an increase in overseas buyers in recent weeks. Selfridges said sales of caviar were up 23 per cent year-on-year, while products from top brands such as Van Cleef and luxury French shoe and handbag designer Christian Louboutin also proved popular. John Lewis reported an increase in tax-free shopping, with sales up 27 per cent at its Oxford Street branch. The company said it witnessed a 64 per cent increase in sales from China and a 47 per cent increase in purchases made by Australian shoppers. According to the newspaper, some expats visiting the UK took the opportunity to revamp their wardrobe due to a lack of choice in their adopted country. British expat Virginia Spielmann, who is now based in Hong Kong said she decided to hit the shops during her holiday after dropping a number of dress sizes. She said: "Despite the weight loss, I'm still a relatively tall and pear-shaped expat – which means buying clothes in Hong Kong can be pretty tricky. So I bought a year's worth of clothes."
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