Overview
- Barclays forecasts £3.6 billion in Boxing Day sales, roughly £1 billion less than 2024, with cost pressures weighing on demand.
- Just 26% of people plan to shop, down from 28% last year, though average spend per shopper is set to rise to £253 from £236.
- Retailers are advertising steep markdowns of up to around 70%, even as many chains reduce hours or stay closed for the day, including Next, Aldi, Home Bargains, John Lewis, M&S and The Range.
- Live reports show queues at major centres such as Manchester’s Trafford Centre and North Tyneside’s Silverlink Retail Park, where big brands opened with early hours and deep discounts.
- Two in five UK shoppers say they use AI or smart tools to hunt deals, and Australian authorities warn of evolving AI-enabled shopping scams after about $40 million in losses, with Finder expecting more than $3.1 billion in Boxing Day spending there.