Cost of living crisis: Traders sell Christmas cards in September

Christmas products are already on sale at a market in south Wales as traders try to entice customers with discounted items amid the cost of living crisis.

Martin Wakeford, who runs a card shop at Aberdare market, said he was selling "last year's stock at last year's prices" and sales were going well.

It comes as a cost-of-living rally is being held in the town.

The UK government said it was "supporting families and businesses to navigate the difficult months ahead".

On a weekday afternoon in the school holidays, Aberdare, in Rhondda Cynon Taf - once known as the Queen of the Valleys - is still a busy and lively town centre.

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But people who spoke to the BBC were concerned about rising costs.

Peter Davies, 69 and his brother Alan, 74, are both retired and pop into town to meet up a couple of times a week.

Both said they had been making small changes, such as using the microwave more, but were worried about winter bills.

"There's nothing worse than if the house is cold or your flat is cold," says Alan, pictured right

"It's frightening - how much are they going to go up?" asks Alan, a former builder.

"And we'll be taking the heating off, cutting down. And there's nothing worse than if the house is cold or your flat is cold. It's a worry."

Ex-footballer Peter added: "Everyone is going to be struggling."

On the other side of the street, Sarah Evans, 39, works in administration and her husband is a roofer.

Sarah Evans says she is "absolutely dreading" her new gas and electricity bill once the price cap rises

"You seem to be working now just to pay your bills," said Sarah.

"I've got two grown boys and I basically work to pay my shopping bills. I'm absolutely dreading the gas and electric - ours was £139 before all the changes and now it's £308. It's crazy."

For businesses in the town centre, it is also an uncertain time and some said they were adapting to changing customer demands.

"It's essential versus non-essential," says Dawn Thomas, owner of AM Bags and Shoes in the town's market.

"People will always need shoes and slippers. So I will need to make a choice whether I increase my range of those and decrease my range of non-essential goods."

Independent businesses are "fearful" of the future, says Dawn Thomas

Dawn said she has had no choice but to put up some prices after rises in electric, freight and wholesale costs.

She added: "Luckily people are still coming to us. But I think as things go up in December and January, that could change and I think we are all pretty fearful of what that could mean for us independent businesses."

Mr Wakeford, who also runs a piercing shop, said getting the Christmas cards out early was just one way he was trying to beat the squeeze.

Martin Wakeford says selling last year's Christmas cards at a discount in September is a way of trying to beat the squeeze

"I think I am doing OK considering the situation to be honest, but it's the unknown ahead," he added.

Beth Winter, MP for Cynon Valley held a cost of living rally in the town which was attended by about 200 people on Saturday.

"People are very worried, anxious, I'd go as far as to say fearful about the future," said Ms Winter.

"But we do have a very strong sense of community here.

"The people of Cynon Valley want to come together, want to unite and send a strong message that we will not accept high energy bills, poverty and inequality.

"We want our valley to continue to thrive."

About 200 people attended a public meeting on Saturday to discuss concerns about the cost of living

The UK government said it understood "that people in Wales and across the UK are struggling with rising prices".

It said: "We are providing £37bn of Help for Households, which includes £1,200 in direct payments to eight million of the most vulnerable households and £400 off energy bills for all this winter.

"We have also already taken a number of steps to support firms, cutting tax for hundreds of thousands of businesses across the UK by slashing fuel duty and reducing employer national insurance by raising the Employment Allowance."

Wales' Economy Minister Vaughan Gething has called on the UK government to use "powers only they have" to intervene.

The two candidates for the prime minister's job, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, have signalled they would offer help if elected as the new Conservative Party leader on 5 September.

Aberdare Market is full of small independent traders worried about the crisis

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