Early data suggests footfall this Boxing Day is up by half (James Manning/PA)
(Picture: PA Wire)Shoppers have defied Boxing Day expectations with footfall up by more than 50 per cent, new figures have shown.
Data from industry analyst Springboard shows that the number of shoppers on high streets has surged by 59 per cent from last year.
Meanwhile, footfall in shopping centres is up by 46.6 per cent, while the number in retail parks increased by 33.7 per cent.
There had been concerns that the cost-of-living crisis coupled with rail strikes would lead to a drop in numbers, but this has not materialised.
Footfall in central London surged by as much as 139.2 per cent, data shows.
However, Boxing Day footfall this year has still not returned to pre-pandemic levels and was 30.5 per cent lower than on December 26, 2019.
In both the east of England and Greater London, the rise in footfall from last year was at least a third more than in other parts of the UK, Springboard said.
Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard, said a likely factor in the increase was that Boxing Day 2021 fell on a Sunday rather than a weekday. She added that the latest figures “provide real reason for optimism amongst retailers”.
She said: “Whilst the bounce back from the pandemic is a key reason for the increased footfall, a further boost to footfall is likely to have been provided by the fact that BoxingDay in 2021 was on a Sunday.
“This meant a number of stores were closed and some would have had reduced trading hours.
“As the day progresses, we are likely to see a smaller increase in footfall from 2021, however, given the scale of the uplift already recorded, the increase in activity from last year will remain significant.
“Footfall has undoubtedly been helped by the calm and sunny weather, which will have encouraged consumers to make trips out.
“These results provide real reason for optimism amongst retailers, as these results come in the face of another rail strike and the underlying challenge of the cost-of-living crisis.”
Research by Barclaycard Payments found that the average shopper intends to buy £229 worth of items in the post-Christmas sales period, a reduction of £18 compared with 2021.
Nevertheless, it still represents a busy end to 2022, with technology retailers expected to particularly benefit from shoppers seeking a bargain.
Personal technology items were the most sought-after by those questioned about the post-Christmas sales, at 42 per cent of consumers.
Food and drink items are also expected to be popular, according to the credit card business.
The research found that a growing number of shoppers expected to turn to reselling sites to buy items after Christmas.
It found that almost three in 10 – 28 per cent – are planning to use platforms such as Ebay and Facebook Marketplace, to offload unwanted Christmas presents.
