Retailers demand halt to 2.6pc business rates rise despite Boxing Day bonanza "MPs understand that high streets are focal points for communities and essential to local economies," said Helen Dickinson, director-general of the BRC. But many high streets are facing a real endurance test in these challenging times, and rising operating costs are making matters worse. Bargain hunters have been out in force over the last five days as many retailers started their sales early. Waitrose was the latest retailer to report record Christmas trading on Thursday. The upmarket supermarket chain said December 23 was its busiest Sunday in history. Like for like sales at Waitrose over the whole festive period, from November 4 to December 24, were up 4.3pc on 2011. Despite some successes, however, the BRC estimates sales volumes for December will be flat year-on-year. Experts at the KPMG/Ipsos Retail Think Tank fear shoppers will remain reluctant to part with their cash in 2013 as inflation will continue to outpace growth in salaries, leading to a 0.8pc fall in households" incomes.