Footfall in shops on Boxing day down 50%

[RoyalFamilyFan]

Many people are putting themselves into a voluntary lockdown. Footfall in shops was down by 50% on Boxing Day. People keep saying that no restrictions are to protect businesses and the economy, but businesses are being affected anyway.

www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/shoppers-stay-home-on-boxing-day-as-footfall-drops-by-almost-half-on-pre-covid-levels/ar-AASbHPo?ocid=msedgntp

Not surprised.

One thing I have noticed is the usual big sales just aren't happening. I assume this is because businesses can't afford to do them or don't have enough staff to manage them. All the things I'd usually buy in January sales aren't even discounted online.

Most of the large stores were shut Boxing Day, even Next, I went on the 27th and it seemed quite busy but I didn't buy much. Boxing Day sales are generally not that good anyway, people all seem to buy online on Black Friday now.

There's been lots in the press about some of the supermarkets remaining shut on Boxing Day so that their workers can have a day off. A lot of that decrease may have gone to one of these shops in previous years?

Isn't this because half the shops were shut on boxing day this year?

Shops which closed on boxing day this year included M&S, Sainsburys, Lidl, Home Bargains, The Entertainer, Pets at Home. Many Next stores also closed.

Thats at least 50% of the shops at my local big retail park, so of course fewer people are going out shopping.

Also the fact that we weren't able to see family last Christmas, might mean that people are more likely to have plans this boxing day or to have travelled to see people and stayed over on Christmas night to boxing day.

Oh and also John Lewis

We had a big family get together on Christmas Day this year and met up again on Boxing Day as we had so much food and drink leftover and no other plans. I also had it off work this year. Our shops aren’t in a covered precinct and it was raining so wouldn’t have been much fun.

This year even without Covid would not really be very comparable for shopping as it falls over 4 days with Christmas being at a weekend, Boxing Day, traditionally first day of sales being Sunday so restricted hours in England so it will be much more spread out anyway at the shops.

It has poured down constantly since Christmas. It's not exactly been tempting to go out. Plus most of the shops were closed on Boxing day.

I did a bit of on-line browsing today, but for the main thing I want to order, the shop is closed until the 4th Jan. I browsed a few clothes web sites but wasn't inspired, and prices seem fairly high, no bargains.

It was a Sunday, footfall is down anyway, the weather has been awful, people were half expecting further restrictions, many shops remained closed.
I shopped online. In fact I even bought something Xmas day that was delivered Boxing Day.

I have ordered a few bits online as I managed to get an online Next VIP slot, got a couple of things from JL that I'm picking up today from Waitrose, M&S was very disappointing and I just bought some wrapping paper and cards for next year from the shop, I also ordered a couple of things from Seasalt which are being delivered tomorrow.

I assumed most shops were shut this year on 26th.

@RoyalFamilyFan it’s completely inaccurate data. Boxing Day this year fell on a Sunday. There are decreased trading hours in England. Lots of shops in Scotland were unsure how to proceed - do you open all day? Follow a normal Sunday schedule? Extra staff need to be brought in for stock taking and markdowns (huge expense in staff wages) although Sundays are usually quiet? Covid situation - will people actually be out?
I’m a retail manager in Scotland and while Boxing Day was quiet, yesterday was very similar to our normal “first day of sale”.

Weather was really rubbish.

I do think that the past two years people have found they're enjoying other things. So a trip to the shopping centre isn't default entertainment.
(And half the high street has folded anyway).

maybe people realised they don't actually need more stuff, or simply can't afford it?

Of course footfall was down, shops were open a max of 6 hours, and many had decided not to open.

Plus people not being able to afford it is true also, given we are being asked to empty our back accounts into the back pockets of Russian oligarchs profitting from energy price rises this year.

Loads of shops are shut and public transport not running!

I bought the things I wanted in online sales on the 23rd Dec. The same way I do most of my shopping.

This have been an increasing trend for the last ten years and pre dates covid. Weather was also atrocious on boxing day and not shopping weather.

There is also an increasing environmental concerns and people don’t want as much stuff and starting to value more space in their homes instead.

Shops shouldn’t be open on Boxing Day imo.

I think it shows that people have heeded Whitty and are prioritising what exposures they have.

And going shopping for stuff you don't really need is a casualty of that. Because discounting year-round means that going to the sales isn't the chance to get a real (and rare) bargain that it once was. And going out and treating shopping as a leisure activity doesn't have the same attractions right now, plus people can feel good about not adding to climate crisis with unnecessary consumption.

I don't know how much retailers depend on January sales these days (either for general boost or to get rid of old stock to give space for the new) but I suspect it's nothing like it used to be.

It was Sunday and miserable weather

But yeah no one wants to catch covid just for a 40% off something rubbish