In a surprising turn of events, British shoppers showed a strong determination to hit the stores post-Christmas, as footfall significantly increased on Tuesday. While footfall on Boxing Day had already seen a boost compared to the previous year, it was Tuesday that truly stole the show with a remarkable increase of almost 37% compared to Monday. However, central London seemed to be the exception to this trend, as footfall actually decreased by 3.4% on Tuesday compared to Monday, despite the train strike and store closures that occurred on Monday.
This trend was not limited to London alone, as other city centers across the UK also experienced a surge in footfall on Tuesday. There was a notable 34% increase in footfall across the country, according to specialist tracking company Springboard. It is worth noting that this increase in footfall was even higher than the same day last year, when concerns about the Omicron variant kept many people at home. However, footfall still fell short in comparison to the equivalent day in 2019, with a 25% decrease compared to the final Christmas before the pandemic.
Interestingly, the biggest increase in footfall on Tuesday was observed in retail parks, with a staggering day-on-day rise of 64%. This suggests that shoppers were particularly keen on visiting these areas to take advantage of post-Christmas sales and secure the best deals. Town centers also saw a notable increase in footfall, with shopping centers experiencing a 45% rise and high streets seeing a more modest 20% increase.
Diane Wehrle, Insights Director at Springboard, offered her insight on the footfall surge, highlighting the implications of increased inflation on consumer behavior. She stated, “The 36.6% increase in footfall from Boxing Day to 27 December suggests that consumers remain keen to shop for sale bargains post-Christmas. Increased inflation may act as an incentive for many shoppers who are keen to secure purchases ahead of any further price rises.”
Overall, it is evident that British shoppers were determined to make the most of post-Christmas sales and secure the best bargains. Despite footfall still being below pre-pandemic levels, this surge in post-Christmas shopping reflects a strong desire among consumers to make purchases amidst concerns of rising prices.
Useful links:
1. BBC: Boxing Day sales signal optimism for retailers
2. The Guardian: Post-Christmas sales surge as shoppers flock back to UK high streets
