Retail destinations throughout the UK experienced a boom in pedestrian traffic on Boxing Day. Shoppers rushed to retail stores, ready to take advantage of steep discounts and markdowns in the surge of the after-Christmas shopping rush. As our business reporter Rachel Clun pointed out, that amounts to a near tripling of foot traffic. It was up 4.4% from last year on the same day, and the most activity in a decade. The increase was even more dramatic after hours, with visits peaking at 5 PM and staying high until 11 PM.
Retail analyst Jenni Matthews noted a fall in early afternoon pedestrian volumes, with footfall down 1.5% on high streets and by 0.6% in shopping centers from 2022 levels. The second half of that first day saw a spectacular shift in attendance. “The boost in activity was driven by a peak in visits across all UK retail destinations from 5 PM to 11 PM, averaging +9.6% versus an average increase of +3.1% from 6 AM to 5 PM,” she reported.
MRI tracks footfall in more than 660 retail locations throughout the UK. To their hardly-surprised eyes, this looks set to continue into the new year. Many retailers opted not to open their doors until December 28, suggesting that the Boxing Day rush could benefit hospitality and leisure venues as well. Matthews said consumers don’t want to stop their holiday shopping. They’re particularly trying to stock up for New Year’s Eve parties.
“Consumers will be likely shopping the sales, making the most of the festive events and attractions within towns and cities,” – Jenni Matthews
Despite rising prices and other economic pressures that have strained household finances throughout 2023, the increased footfall indicates a resilient retail environment. Matthews pointed out that this new jump in shopping might be a sign that the retail sector is coming in hot for a strong finish. That’s particularly encouraging given the headwinds retailers faced earlier this year.
As the post–Boxing Day shopping spree began to cool down, foot traffic in some of the nation’s busiest retail corridors spiked 1.6% higher than the same time last year on December 27. This significant jump reflects that consumers are eager to return to brick-and-mortar stores after months of caution.