Boxing Day sales: 'Cost-conscious' shoppers to spend £1bn less as financial pressures bite
Shoppers are expected to spend £1bn less this year in the Boxing Day sales as cost-of-living concerns bite, new research has suggested.
New data from the Barclays Consumer Spend report reveals that UK consumers are expecting to spend £3.6bn in the Boxing Day sales, less than the £4.6bn predicted spend of 2024.
The Barclays report, based on a survey of 2,000 people conducted by Opinium Research, found 69 per cent of those questioned said cost pressures will impact their spending this year, up from 47 per cent in 2024.
The percentage of people spending on Boxing Day is expected to fall by two per cent on last year to 26 per cent, though the average shopper who is participating expects to spend an average £253 – £17 up on last year.
Only half of Boxing Day shoppers plan to visit shops in person, while an increasing number of people will turn to AI tools to search for the best deals. Two in five (37 per cent) say they use AI and/or smart tools when shopping, rising to 53 per cent for those aged 18-34 (53 per cent).
Karen Johnson, Head of Retail at Barclays, said: “Shoppers have demonstrated just how cost-conscious they are throughout 2025, and we expect that we’ll see this play out during the Boxing Day sales, particularly with AI empowering consumers to shop smarter and seek out the best deals.
"Despite this, many still enjoy the social and sensory experience of visiting stores.
"Those that do hit the high street might benefit both from bigger budgets, perhaps having held out for the sales, and potentially less competition, from fewer sales shoppers.
“Boxing Day is still a pivotal moment for retailers, fuelled by Christmas nostalgia, but it has evolved to reflect modern consumer demands. This year, we’re likely to see a balanced blend of online convenience, experiential retail and increasingly mindful purchasing.”
Lower Boxing Day sales would deal another blow to retailers following an unexpected fall in retail sales in November.
The Office for National Statistics said last week that the total volume of retail sales is estimated to have fallen by 0.1 per cent in November.
It followed a 0.9 per cent drop in October, and was a surprise decline as most analysts had been expecting a 0.4 per cent increase for the month.
Supermarket sales fell for the fourth month in a row, by 0.5 per cent in November, with retailers reporting a lower number of shoppers coming to stores.