Sun, 28 Dec 2025

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 Late shopper rush drives Boxing Day sales traffic

Figures suggest the surge in post-Christmas shoppers was the strongest in a decade.

* Boxing Day footfall increased by 4.4% across all UK retail destinations, a decade-high figure.
* Footfall remained strong on Saturday, with a 1.6% increase compared to last year.
* Barclays forecast that consumers will spend £1bn less on this year's Boxing Day deals, down from £3.6bn.
* Early data suggested a muted reaction to the sales at 3pm on December 26, but later in the day saw an increase in visits averaging +9.6% from 5pm-11pm.
* Retail analyst Jenni Matthews said that the boost in activity was driven by shoppers deciding to head out later in the day.
* Hospitality and leisure venues are likely to have benefited from the increased foot traffic due to many stores not reopening until December 28.
* Analysts say 2025 has been a challenging year for consumers, with rising prices and other factors squeezing household finances.
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