Almost 50% drop in footfall for Boxing Day sales across the UK

Shoppers across the UK braved the rain to attend Boxing Day Sales, though footfall was significantly lower than 2019 figures.

The number of shoppers hunting for a bargain in the Boxing Day sales in person has plummeted compared with pre-pandemic levels as the spectre of coronavirus kept many away, new figures show.

Footfall at shopping sites across the UK on Boxing Day up to noon was 45% below the 2019 level, according to data from retail expert Springboard.

In central London, footfall was 67% lower than 2019 numbers, while it was 58% below 2019 in other major UK cities.

But market towns fared slightly better, seeing a 12% decrease from 2019 shopping traffic, while there was only a 7% drop in outer London.

New coronavirus restrictions have come into force today in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, which may have had an impact on the number of shoppers hitting the sales.

Boxing Day shoppers walk through the centre of Cardiff, Wales, as new Covid-19 rules come into force. (PA) — Boxing Day shoppers walk through the centre of Cardiff, Wales, as new Covid-19 rules come into force (Ben Birchall/PA)

Despite the drop, large queues formed outside the Trafford Centre in Manchester with shoppers waiting since 8am, while bargain hunters also lined up outside Primark in Birmingham and Zara in Bristol.

Shoppers stand in line for the doors to open for the start of the Boxing Day sales at Selfridges department store on Oxford Street in London (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Queueing outside the Disney store in Oxford Street, London to shop on her daughter’s behalf, Nic Portway from London told the PA news agency she was not planning on spending much in the sales but was happy to still go to the shops in person despite the rise in Covid cases.

She said: “I am not really surprised by how many people are out because we have got to get on with it, there is always going to be another variant so what do we do?

“We can’t keep locking down every time there is a new variant otherwise everything will just stop.”

Customers begin to form a queue outside the Harrods store in Knightsbridge, London, waiting for the start the Boxing Day sales (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The woman said: “I was surprised to see this many people out and about, when I walked down Oxford Circus there was hardly anyone around, but then when I arrived at Oxford Street there were big queues, all around the corners.”

Masks were worn by most shoppers on Oxford Street, whether in a queue or walking around but many of the shops were not full of people.