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Boxing Day sales experienced a subdued start as consumers continued to favour online shopping over traditional brick-and-mortar stores.
Data from MRI Software indicated that by 3pm, visits to UK high streets were down 1.5% compared to 2024, while shopping centres saw a decrease of 0.6%.
MRI’s footfall analysis revealed a 6.7% increase in visitors to retail parks compared to the previous year; however, this rise has not been substantial enough to generate a significant overall increase in shopper numbers.
Barclays anticipates a total spend of £3.6bn during the sales period, a decrease from the £4.6bn forecast for 2024, suggesting fewer individuals are planning to actively seek out bargains this year. Online spending is also projected to decline.
While in-person shopping persists, the figures suggest that Boxing Day sales are losing their former prominence as a major retail event.
The Barclays consumer spending report indicates that shoppers who intend to participate have increased their budgets by £17 compared to last year. However, overall spending on Boxing Day sales is anticipated to be lower this year.
Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, noted that consumers have exhibited cost-consciousness throughout the year, a trend likely to extend into the Boxing Day sales.
Conversely, one shopper from Glasgow expressed a preference for the more relaxed atmosphere of this year’s Boxing Day sales.
“Everybody’s taking it at their own pace, it’s a more enjoyable experience shopping on Boxing Day, I think,” she told the BBC.
While the festive season presents an opportunity for many retailers to compensate for slower periods, several major brands, including Next, John Lewis, Poundland, Wickes, and Iceland, opted to keep their stores closed on Boxing Day.
Another shopper in Glasgow stated that he continues to shop on Boxing Day annually due to a family tradition.
“It’s definitely a lot quieter than usual,” he observed, “though Lush did have a big, massive queue this year.”
Diane Wehrle, chief executive of Rendle Intelligence and Insights, characterized 2025 as a challenging year for many consumers.
“In the run up to Christmas, consumers have really pulled back on spending because they were very nervous, particularly pre-Budget in November,” she told the BBC.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her last budget up to £26bn in tax rises in 2029-30, which will bring the UK’s tax take to an all-time high of 38% of national income in 2030-31, according to the OBR.
This implies further strain on household budgets as inflation – the rate at which prices increase – remains persistently elevated, despite a decrease from recent peak levels.
For employers, increased minimum wage costs and National Insurance contributions announced the previous year are resulting in higher expenses within an economy characterized by sluggish growth.
Separate festive spending data from Visa indicated only marginal overall spending growth in the lead-up to Christmas, with electronics spending up 8.4% compared to the same period last year.
Official retail spending data from the Office for National Statistics for November also indicated many shoppers resisted the lure of Black Friday discounts and the start of Christmas sales campaigns.
Ms. Wehrle suggested that the extension of pre-Christmas discounting and the surge in online shopping have contributed to a decline in the significance of Boxing Day sales “over the last few years.”
Telford Centre manager Glyn Morrow said December could be “make or break” for some retailers.
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Dundalk Chamber of Commerce said most cross border shopping is now for a day out rather than the expectation of making large savings.
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