Retail recruiters have rejected claims that there are no green shoots emerging in the UK.

Last week Marks & Spencer chairman and chief executive Sir Stuart Rose told a conference in Northern Ireland that there were no green shoots and the UK has to soldier on.

Kate McCarthy, managing director at McCarthy Recruitment, told Recruiter: “There is a small chink of light and I think confidence is growing. I think there is a requirement to make the peak retail recruitment period, which we’re in, work as well as we can.

“Retailers went down to the bone as far as management and teams were concerned. They are now trying to build strength so they can maximise peak.

“It is traditionally a busy time because it is three or four months before peak trade. Is it comparable to last year? Absolutely not but it is better than the last six months. There is an increase in confidence.”

Louise Bouncer, senior partner at Retail Kudos, adds: “I would say it’s more positive. There is a little bit more ‘boing’ on the market. No-one is going to make tonnes of money like it was three years ago but I think we are going to have a healthy run to the election.”