Despite rail strikes and earlier sale beginnings, foot traffic in central London has more than doubled compared to the previous year, with gains in all retail locations across the United Kingdom as consumers return to in-person shopping.
The number of Boxing Day shoppers in the United Kingdom increased by fifty percent but stayed below pre-pandemic levels due to rising consumer costs.
According to data from retail analytics company Springboard, this year’s Boxing Day deals attracted a greater number of shoppers than the previous year’s.
Today at noon, foot traffic was up 50.1% from 2021, according to the company’s data. The greatest increase in foot traffic was observed on high streets, where the number of visitors increased by 59.4% compared to the same day last year when non-essential shopping was closed in several areas of the United Kingdom due to high COVID-19 case numbers.
Similarly, Springboard reported that the increase was 46.6% in shopping centers and 33.3% in retail parks.
In central London, the number of Boxing Day consumers increased by 139.2% compared to 2021, while Northern Ireland saw the highest rise, with five times as many people attending Boxing Day bargains.
Despite the year-over-year improvement, the numbers fell far behind those of 2019 when COVID-19 lockdowns began. The number of Boxing Day shoppers in the United Kingdom has decreased by 30.5% from the pre-pandemic year.
The difference is smallest in downtown London, where there are 22.5% fewer shoppers this year compared to three years ago.
The overall increase in consumers was most pronounced in the east of England and the greater London area, where foot traffic increased by as much as a third compared to the rest of the United Kingdom.
Pre-Christmas foot traffic was down due to rail disruptions and snow, according to government statistics.
In the week leading up to the 18th of December, overall footfall decreased by 6% compared to the previous week and by 23% compared to the 2019 average, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) reported, using Springboard data.
In the seven days leading up to the 18th of December, foot traffic decreased by 12 percent compared to the previous week.
During the week beginning on Monday, December 12, there were two 48-hour rail strikes on December 13, 14, 15, and 16.
This year, sales also began earlier, with many big businesses offering discounts on the merchandise before the typical Boxing Day date.
Both Debenhams and John Lewis department stores implemented price cuts one week earlier than usual. Asos, an online retailer, also reduced prices before December 26.
While the snow has melted, rail strikes will continue until December 29. The National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers will recommence their strikes from 3 to 7 January in the new year as they want wage increases and job security guarantees.
As a result of inflation-driven price increases in the run-up to the holiday season, consumers remained cautious in November, causing a surprising decline in retail sales. In November, inflation stood at 10.7 percent.
Excluding the effects of gasoline sales, the Office for National Statistics recorded a 0.3% decline in sales compared to October.
Economists predicted a 0.3% expansion based on reports of robust consumer interest and spending during the crucial Black Friday period.
