‘Bumper’ Boxing Day provides boost to struggling high streets
Boxing Day was a “bumper day” for all UK retail destinations as data shows shopper footfall was up 4.4 per cent on last year, making it the strongest increase in more than a decade, industry analysts said.
The retail sector may end the year on a “positive note” as December 26 saw shoppers flock to high streets, retail parks and shopping centres.
With stores shut on Christmas Day, Boxing Day traditionally sees people stepping back out of their homes to bargain-hunt in the sales.
While there was a slow start for high streets and shopping centres, there was a “peak” in visits to UK retail destinations from 5pm to 11pm, according to retail analysts MRI Software – which counts footfall in more than 660 retail destinations across the UK 24/7 through cameras.
High streets enjoyed a 3.6 per cent increase in footfall on last Boxing Day while retail parks saw an 8.8% uplift.
Shopping centres saw footfall up 2.1% on December 26 2024.
Footfall increase at strongest in decade
Jenni Matthews, retail analyst at MRI Software, told the Press Association: “We did see a slow start to the day for high streets and shopping centres.
“Retail parks saw an uplift quite early on and that could be reflecting the sort of stores that were open on those sites – so supermarkets, some were open, some weren’t.
“The fact that much of the uplift came from the evening period suggests that people may have been going out for leisure activities or going out for a bite to eat, or making the most of the events and attractions that are still taking place in some towns and cities across the UK.”
While supermarkets like Sainsbury’s and Tesco were open on Boxing Day, Marks and Spencer, Aldi and Lidl were among others closed.
Ms Matthews said the footfall increase of 4.4 per cent on last year is “the strongest increase seen in over 10 years”.
She said the UK saw a “slow lead-up” to Christmas Eve but saw a “big boost” in footfall on December 24, suggesting some shoppers may had “left it to the last minute”.
The analyst said many people did their Christmas shopping early on in November.
The boost in activity on Boxing Day was said to have been driven by a “peak in visits” to all UK retail destinations from 5pm to 11pm, averaging an increase of 9.6% on last year.
This compares with an average increase of 3.1 per cent on Boxing Day 2024 from 6am to 5pm.
Coastal towns saw a 16.1 per cent increase in footfall, which may be due to events such as markets held on high streets, according to Ms Matthews.
“It’s likely to be event-driven because we know that a lot of stores were still shut yesterday,” Ms Matthews added.
Ms Matthews said that, overall, December 26 “proved to be a bumper day for all UK retail destinations”.
“With a number of stores still shut and not reopening until today, it’s likely that leisure and hospitality establishments may well have benefited from the annual uplift,” she added.
“This is an early indicator that the retail sector may well end the year on a positive note given the challenging times faced at the beginning of the year.”
By Georgia Bates, Press Association