New data shows that shoppers are turning away from traditional high street stores and shopping centres on Boxing Day, with initial footfall figures suggesting a significant downturn in this year’s sales compared to last year. Whilst some big-name retailers are still set to see brisk trade on the 26th of December, household brands like John Lewis, M&S, and Next have closed the majority of their stores for the day to allow staff an extended break over the festive period.
The data gathered by MRI Software demonstrates an initial 10.2% drop in morning footfall on UK high streets from last year and a 13.9% decline for shopping centres. These provisional figures are an early indication that the dominance of online retailers during the Boxing Day sales period is set to continue.
The overall UK activity levels, in terms of in-store visits, are also down by almost 36% compared to pre-pandemic levels. This year’s Boxing Day activity levels have seen a 9.4% drop as of 12:00 – marking a significant fall from 26 December last year. Analysts suggest that bricks-and-mortar stores are becoming increasingly less profitable as they are expensive to keep open due to rising energy costs and staff overtime pay.
Some industry insiders believe that traditional store sales events like Boxing Day may no longer attract the footfall they once did due to increasingly flexible online promotions and the continued cost of living squeeze affecting household budgets. Black Friday in November is a popular time for online shopping promotions, and many retailers now begin their sales in store and online from as early as Christmas Eve.
These initial figures certainly paint a bleak picture for bricks-and-mortar retailers, but MRI Software’s Jenni Matthews has expressed hopes of a year-on-year rise in footfall from the 27th of December onwards. Matthews anticipates that many shoppers will “emerge from their post-Christmas slumber looking to replenish their groceries and see what Boxing Day bargains are available
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