BERLIN/AMSTERDAM/MILAN—Europeans snapped up smartphones, Christmas decorations, sweaters, and jewelry during a surge in shopping over the Black Friday weekend, though prospects for the festive season remained gloomy, retailers said.
A survey of 400 businesses by Germany’s HDE retailers’ association showed just over half of merchants said they were still dissatisfied with sales last week, versus some 30 percent who were satisfied.
Retailers across Europe fear the overall Christmas trading season could be the worst in at least a decade as shoppers cut back, hit by double-digit inflation and soaring energy bills.
However, early indications suggest Black Friday has provided some relief….