Boxing Day sales forecast to rise 2.2% to £3.81bn

UK consumers are forecast to spend £3.81bn on Boxing Day, a 2.2% increase on last year and the highest level of spending for the day since 2021, according to the Shopping for Christmas Report by VoucherCodes.co.uk.

The figure would make Boxing Day the most lucrative day of the post-Christmas sales period, which runs from 25 to 31 December. Total spending across the seven-day period is expected to reach £14.15bn, up 2.1% year on year, with in-store sales continuing to outperform online spending.

Offline purchases are forecast to account for £8.54bn of the total, compared with £5.61bn spent online. High street retailers are set to benefit most on Boxing Day, with in-store spending forecast at £2.61bn, more than double the £1.20bn expected to be spent online that day.

Spending is forecast to remain elevated on Saturday 27 December, which is expected to generate £3.48bn in sales, up 4.9% on the previous year. Sales are then predicted to taper off steadily towards the end of the year, falling to £1.02bn on New Year’s Eve.

While Boxing Day is expected to deliver the highest sales total, shopper numbers are forecast to peak on 27 December, when 28 million people are expected to shop either online or in stores.

In-store footfall is forecast to reach 16.9 million on 27 December, compared with 15.2 million on Boxing Day. Online shopping is also expected to be higher on 27 December, with 11.2 million shoppers, compared with 7.8 million on Boxing Day.

VoucherCodes.co.uk said Boxing Day typically sees fewer shoppers as it is often reserved for family activities, but those who do shop tend to spend more per visit.

Moji Oshisanya, chief commercial officer at VoucherCodes.co.uk, said: “Whilst in recent years Black Friday has been overshadowing the Boxing Day sales both in terms of popularity and sales figures, our report shows there’s still very much a place for Boxing Day for both retailers and customers.

“Where the Black Friday sales give shoppers the opportunity to save on Christmas items and retailers the chance to boost sales before the end of the year; the Boxing Day sales enable consumers to save on post-Christmas treats and retailers the chance to clear stock, fresh for the next year.”

Oshisanya added that competitive pricing would be critical as consumers remain under financial pressure following Christmas spending.

He added: “Over the post-Christmas period, consumers are often more cash-strapped than usual and have fewer necessary purchases, but by offering unbeatable value retailers can tempt consumers to part with their money.”