An evening surge in shoppers drove a decade-high increase in footfall for Boxing Day sales across the UK, according to data from MRI Software. Footfall across all UK retail destinations, including high streets and shopping centers, rose by 4.4% compared to the same day last year.

MRI Software, which counts footfall in more than 660 retail locations across the UK, initially reported a muted reaction to the sales by 3 p.m. High street visits were down 1.5% and shopping center visits were down 0.6% compared to 2023 figures. However, the trend reversed later in the day.

Jenni Matthews, retail analyst at MRI, noted that the increase in activity was driven by a peak in visits across all UK retail destinations later in the day, indicating a shift in shopper behavior towards later shopping trips.

While footfall remained strong on Saturday, and MRI anticipated continued strong post-Christmas shopping momentum into the new year, higher footfall does not necessarily translate into higher spending. Barclays has forecast that consumers would spend £1 billion less on this year's Boxing Day deals. This suggests that while more people were visiting retail locations, individual spending may have been lower.

The increase in footfall provides a positive signal for the retail industry, particularly after a challenging year marked by economic uncertainty and cost-of-living pressures. However, the forecast decrease in overall spending highlights the ongoing challenges retailers face in converting foot traffic into sales. The industry will be closely watching sales figures in the coming weeks to assess the true impact of the Boxing Day sales period.