Stores across the country kicked off the Boxing Day sales with a mix of outcomes. Bargain hunters queued outside shops, eager to grab the best deals as soon as the doors opened. Out of town retail parks experienced a surge in visitors, up nearly 7% from the previous year, while high streets saw a slower start with a 2.4% decrease in shopper numbers compared to the previous Boxing Day.
Barclays predicted a £1 billion decrease in spending for this year’s Boxing Day, estimating that Brits would spend £3.6 billion, significantly less than the £4.6 billion spent last year and £4.7 billion in 2023. The Trafford Centre in Manchester and Boots in the city center attracted early shoppers, indicating strong sales activity.
According to MRI Software, the overall number of shoppers across the UK was 0.3% lower than the previous year by midday. Retail parks saw increased footfall, possibly due to the presence of leisure facilities like cinemas and bowling alleys.
While some stores started their Boxing Day sales in-store, others remained closed. Next continued its tradition of staying closed on Boxing Day but launched its online sale after closing on Christmas Eve. Matalan offered up to 50% off on various products, while Argos, Currys, and Debenhams provided discounts ranging from 40% to 70% on selected items.
MRI Software’s data revealed a 7.7% decrease in footfall in central London compared to the previous year’s Boxing Day but a 3.9% increase in greater London. Coastal towns experienced a significant 10% rise in visitor numbers, likely due to favorable weather conditions.
Scotland saw the largest year-on-year increase in footfall at almost 7%, followed by the East Midlands with a 5.2% rise. Retailers are expected to release trading updates post-Christmas to provide a clearer picture of their performance during the holiday season. Some retailers had already launched discount events before Christmas, following a trend seen in recent years.
The data reflects sales activity in physical stores, and does not account for online shopping trends. The full impact on retailers will only be known once they release their trading updates for the holiday season.