In news that will be welcome to worldwide shipping firms, new research has revealed that retailers are feeling quietly confident about the economic outlook.

There is a growing optimism among British retailers, according to the Centre for Retail Research.

This is despite a general sense that consumer spending will not return to pre-recession levels any time soon.

Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the centre, said that while trading has not been great, there is a feeling that things are getting better.

He said he didn't think retailers were expecting the British consumer now, to be like the British consumer of 2005 or 2006.

He explained: "They feel that there is a market there and they want to have a share of it."

The comments come after Barclaycard reported that consumer spending on credit and debit cards in July was nearly a tenth up on the same month in 2009.