In other words, as the recession bit and retailers struggled to survive, council bureaucrats thought it a good idea to make life even more difficult for them.

Sears's strong sales and earnings come as other retailers have struggled to gain sales from consumers worried about their job security and the economy.

At the same time, retailers - who have not been nearly as vocal about the downturn as labels - are struggling to entice store traffic.

At the same time, older established retailers are struggling to maintain their position in an increasingly crowded field.

Deutsche Bank has already spotted deep discounts, a sign that retailers are struggling to sell sweaters.

The designers and retailers that counted on such merchandise have struggled.

The world's largest retailer has long struggled to find a footing in America's urban centres, with their powerful unions and strong support for small business owners.

Many other small retailers are struggling.

Retail analysts fear that many weaker retailers may struggle to find the funds this time, having suffered from Britain's low consumer confidence.

Manufacturers and retailers have struggled to make money even with a retail markup of 25 percent to 35 percent.