Christmas just gets around close, and many are noticed pushing on to high streets in the UK. Most possibly, the “panic weekend” on December 21-22 will form part of the busiest this year. From all walks of society consumers are trooping to the high streets, retail parks, and shopping malls because of holiday and festive season quests for gifts, foods, and other necessities.

Eating Habits

UK consumers will spend an average of £596 on Christmas gifts, accounting for an overall holiday spend of £46.4 billion in 2024, including food, travel, and socialising. The millennials are going to take the lead with the spending race averaging at £871, and those from London will be more prominent at £936 per head.

Even at these high levels, inflation seems to have influenced the way customers shopped; a third of the customers opted for lesser or cheaper presents. This is most common for the younger shoppers who fall in the 18-24 years age group.

Foot traffic and Retail Activity

These are the final weeks that retailers want to see for Christmas. Footfall in retail parks and shopping centers said to rise 25-30%, in the high streets, by 11-15% over the previous week. According to reports, Trafford Centre, Manchester, has seen an increase of 14% footfall for the month of November and sales for health and beauty items also report a rise.

According to Retail analysts at MRI Software, footfall for the weekend of 14-15th of December increased by 19.5% which partly offsets some dislocational effects from Storm Darragh. That should certainly have a helpful boost on retailer’s morale going into the final week before Christmas.

Local Economies

While more sales are a lifeline to the big retailers, aside from that, the small independent retail lifeline, increased foot traffic also does increase sales for a number of small and independent retailers selling to low-income communities. Moreover, this retail industry also provides employment opportunities for poor families as a seasonal business. In-store shopping v/s online shopping

Although 36% of the consumers plan to do most of their holiday shopping online, the in-store experience is still vital, especially to last-minute shoppers who are sure to require instant access to products. Retailers are tapping into both channels to capture sales during this critical time.

Wider Economic Background

The festive period is known as the “golden quarter,” and this segment contributes to one-fifth of the total retail sales throughout the year. According to the forecast, this season’s total retail sales would reach £97 billion compared to £93.5 billion in 2023. Therefore, the holiday season is the most vital part of the retail calendar since last year was quite tough, considering increased costs and consumer behavior.

As shoppers throng the streets with the last days before Christmas, this promises the much-needed sales and foot traffic boost to the retail sector. As it highlights the differences in regional spending and online domination during the holiday season, this shows that old and traditional retail does have endurance.