Overview
- Barclays projects total Boxing Day takings of £3.6 billion, down from the bank’s £4.6 billion estimate for 2024 and £4.7 billion in 2023.
- Only 26% of respondents plan to shop the sales, though those who do expect to spend £253 on average, up from £236 last year.
- Seventy percent of people surveyed say cost pressures are affecting their spending, up sharply from 47% in similar 2024 research.
- Shoppers are increasingly using technology to find deals, with 37% using AI or smart tools, rising to 53% among 18- to 34-year-olds.
- Retailers are advertising steep markdowns, with examples including up to 50% off at Matalan, up to 40% at Currys, and up to 70% at Debenhams, while separate forecasts suggest 15.2 million will shop in-store and 7.8 million online.