{"id":12927,"date":"2021-11-04T08:20:57","date_gmt":"2021-11-04T12:20:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/auto\/?p=12927"},"modified":"2021-11-04T08:20:57","modified_gmt":"2021-11-04T12:20:57","slug":"smmt-reduces-full-year-van-sales-forecast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=12927","title":{"rendered":"SMMT reduces full year van sales forecast – Just Auto"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \"SMMT<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

UK light commercial vehicle (LCV) sales fell 4.6% year on year in October as 27,420 vans were registered, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.\n<\/p>\n

This was the the second consecutive month of decline but the sector remained 2.3% up on the five-year pre-pandemic average for October.\n<\/p>\n

Registrations of heavier vans, which weigh more than 2.5 tonnes and comprise the majority of the LCV market, fell by 8.9%. Pickups and vans weighing between 2.0-2.5 tonnes also declined by 16.9% and 16.6% respectively.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n

In contrast, sales of 4x4s, a small segment buoyed by new models, and vans under two tonnes doubled, with increases of 114.7% and 100.5% respectively.<\/p>\n

Year to date, LCV sales have increased 24.4% to 294,656 units, compared to 2020 when Covid related issues were more widely felt.<\/p>\n

But despite the sector seeing a rebound in registrations in 2021, the market remained 5.2% short of the pre-pandemic five-year average, due mainly to the global shortage of semiconductors.\n<\/p>\n

SMMT has conseqently reduced its full year forecast for the LCV market by 20,000 to 340,000 units.\n<\/p>\n

While higher than 2020 this would be a net decline against 2019 sales with the market not expected to recover back above that level until 2023.\n<\/p>\n

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: \u201cWhile it\u2019s disappointing to see the number of new vans registered during October decline, demand has remained strong over the course of the year.\u201d\n<\/p>\n