Overview
- Barclays projects £3.6bn spent, with only 26% planning to shop and an average budget of £253 as 69% report cost pressures and more consumers turn to AI tools for deal‑hunting.
- MRI Software reported a mixed start by lunchtime: overall footfall down 0.3% year on year, with high streets down 2.4%, shopping centres down 2.6% and retail parks up 6.9%.
- By mid‑afternoon, declines narrowed, with MRI indicating high street visits down 1.5% and shopping centres down 0.6% compared with last year.
- Regional patterns diverged: central London fell 7.7% while outer London rose 3.9%, coastal towns climbed 10%, and footfall increased in Scotland (about 7%) and the East Midlands (5.2%).
- Retailers advertised deep discounts—up to 50%–70% at chains such as Matalan, Argos, Currys and Debenhams—while some stores stayed shut or cut hours, yet queues formed at hubs including the Trafford Centre and Bicester Village.