BARGAIN HUNT
Over 22million Brits to join Boxing Day sales stampede and splurge £3.73BILLION
The predicted 5.8 per cent jump in shop-goers will be the first time since 2021 that post-Xmas sales have gone up
BARGAIN hunters are set to splash £3.73billion today — averaging £236 each.
A mammoth 22.5million Brits will join the Boxing Day sales stampede, with 14.8million of us heading to high streets.
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The predicted 5.8 per cent jump in shop-goers on last year heralds the first time since 2021 that post-Christmas sales have gone up.
It also follows a 17 per cent jump on this Christmas Eve compared to last year’s figures, according to Vouchercodes.co.uk.
Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “Boxing Day continues to be a crucial time for the retail sector.
“The renewed interest in in-store shopping, alongside the enduring resilience of online platforms, demonstrates a more balanced and adaptive approach from consumers. We hope this will continue into the New Year.”
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She predicted that shoppers would be shifting towards “practicality”, with more hoping to bag bargains on kitchen appliances.
Anita Naik, savings expert at Vouchercodes.co.uk, said: “There’s an increase in interest as shoppers’ financial situations improve.”
Retailers started slashing prices online yesterday, with discounts of up to 70 per cent.
Many shops, including Next, will open from 6am today, although John Lewis is keeping most of its sites closed and instead relying on online purchases.
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Others high street regulars including Marks & Spencer and Poundland will not open.
Consumer watchdog Which?, meanwhile, urged people to check pricing history on comparison sites to ensure “deals” are genuine.
XMAS CLOSURES
Here’s a full list of shops staying closed on Boxing Day.
Remember that hours can vary depending on where you are and what your local store is doing, so it's always worth checking retailers store locator tool to avoid a wasted journey.
Aldi
The supermarket said it recognised that Christmas was an “important time” for many of its staff and remaining closed for an extra day would allow them to spend more time with loved ones.
Richard Thornton, Aldi’s communications director, said: “Customers will have plenty to look forward to in the run-up to Christmas, with exciting Christmas ranges hitting shelves in time for the festive season.”
B&Q
B&Q has revealed it will shutter its more than 300 UK branches on December 25 and 26 to give staff a well-earned break.
The retailer, which stocks everything from garden products to kitchenware, tools and equipment, will also close all its stores early on Christmas Eve.
Branches across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will shut at 4pm instead of the usual 8pm.
Homebase
DIY giant Homebase will shut all its stores on 26 December, the brand has confirmed.
The retailer has 142 stores across the UK.
In Scotland, it also closes all its shops on New Year’s Day.
Home Bargains
Home Bargains has told The Sun all 600 of its branches across the UK will remain closed on Boxing Day.
All stores will also close earlier on Christmas Eve, with trading finishing at 5pm.
Home Bargains also confirmed that all its shops will shut on New Year’s Day.
A spokesperson for Home Bargains said: “We know how hard all our colleagues have worked throughout the year.
“Being a family-run business, we recognise the importance of spending quality time with our loved ones.
“Therefore, we feel it is only right to support our valued store teams by giving them extended time off around Christmas and New Year.”
Why do retailers close on Boxing Day?
BOXING Day is one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
So why do retailers decide to close? Senior Consumer Reporter Olivia Marshall explains.
Closing on Boxing Day allows staff to have a well-deserved break after the busy Christmas period.
This can help improve staff morale and reduce burnout.
It also provides them with an opportunity to spend time with their families and friends during the festive season.
For some retailers, the cost of opening on Boxing Day, including staffing and operational expenses, may not be justified by the expected sales revenue, especially if customer footfall is low.
With the rise of online shopping, some retailers may focus on online sales and promotions rather than opening physical stores on Boxing Day.
For some businesses, it may also be a a long-standing tradition for them to remain closed on Boxing Day.
From a practical perspective, the day after Christmas can be used for inventory checks, restocking, and preparing for post-Christmas sales.
This can be more effectively done without the distraction of serving customers.
Iceland
Most of Iceland’s 1000+ stores will remain closed on Boxing Day across the UK, with it being officially assigned as a bank holiday for staff.
The same applies to The Food Warehouse.
However, the company confirmed to The Sun that 76 Iceland stores, mostly in London and Essex, will open on 26 December, some as late as 9pm.
So it’s worth checking your local branch to make sure.
John Lewis and Waitrose
The vast majority of Waitrose supermarkets and standalone John Lewis stores will be shut on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) which runs the two brands exclusively told The Sun it will be shut on 26 December.
More than 300 Waitrose branches and 33 John Lewis sites will be shut, but a few Waitrose shops attached to petrol stations will be open on Boxing Day.
Only John Lewis shops within the Trafford and Stratford shopping centres will be open.
John Lewis and Waitrose were also closed on Boxing Day last year.
Lidl
As in previous years, Lidl stores will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
The retailer said that most stores will also remain closed on Boxing Day, but customers are encouraged to check their local store’s opening hours on the or through the app.
M&S
All M&S and M&S Simply Food stores will be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year.
However, stores attached to motorway service stations or petrol stations will still be open, in some cases for 24 hours.
Poundland
Poundland, which runs over 800 UK stores, said it will close shops on December 25 and 26.
The discounter said all its locations will also shut on New Year's Day as a thank you to staff.
Workers will be given a £25 voucher to spend in their local Poundland branch ahead of Christmas.
Simon Wells, people director at Poundland, said: “We have brilliant colleagues here at Poundland & Dealz who work incredibly hard throughout the year.”
"We’re delighted to be able to support them with a well-earned rest once the festive season is over."
The Range and Wilko
The Range and Wilko are owned by CDS Stores which has announced it will close all branches at both brands on Christmas Day and Boxing Day to “give our hard-working team members a well-earned break”.
The brands were also closed last year on Boxing Day.
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The other major supermarkets - Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda - will be open on Boxing Day.
In previous years, Sainsbury’s has closed on Boxing Day but is open this year.
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