Shop chiefs hope for sales boost as big day draws close

The forthcoming rise in VAT is also expected to send consumers searching for big-ticket items this month, with payment card group Visa Europe predicting yesterday would be the busiest-yet shopping day in the UK.

Some stores announced extended opening hours for those who have missed Christmas deadlines for online shopping.

Supermarkets also expected yesterday to be their busiest day ahead of Christmas.

Tesco spokesman Trevor Datson said: "Stores and staff are fully prepared and stocked up ready for our busiest day of the year. We're expecting them to be twice as busy as a normal Saturday. To help cope with the extra demand, thousands of Tesco head office staff have left their desks to help stack shelves, pack customers' bags and serve at the tills."

Morrisons said it expected 5.15pm yesterday to be its busiest time of the year.

Spokesman Richard Hodgson said: "After the unprecedented cold weather the UK has had, we know that shoppers won't leave the food shop until Christmas Eve."

The giant Meadowhall shopping centre, near Sheffield, reported packed car parks and stores as up to 130,000 people turned up for last-minute Christmas shopping.

Centre director Darren Pearce said it had been a bumper day, although exact figures would not be available until later.

Mr Pearce said: "I would say there will have been about 120,000 to 130,000 people here today. There's been a lot of families getting last bits – all sorts of people, really. It's gone very well.

"I'm sure we'll get lots of blokes doing their last-minute panic shopping tomorrow as well but today's been very busy."

Mr Pearce said the centre's decision to open until midnight over the last fortnight had been a success.

The centre decided to stay open even later following a week in which terrible weather forced it to close on one day, earlier this month.