- £3.04bn to be spent this ‘Panic Weekend’ (21st – 22nd Dec)
- 39.3 million people to shop in-store and online over the weekend
- ‘Super Saturday’ to drive £1.53m in sales, making it the most lucrative day in the run up to Christmas
- ‘Stampede Sunday’ set to see £1.52m spent over the day
This ‘Panic Weekend’ (21st – 22nd December) shoppers are set to spend £3.04bn as they rush to finish their Christmas shopping, according to a new report.
The Shopping for Christmas: The build up to Christmas and Boxing Day report by VoucherCodes.co.uk, forecasts a strong weekend of sales for retailers with 39.3 million consumers expected to shop either in-store or online over the weekend, giving retailers the chance to capitalise on Brits who have left their shopping to the eleventh hour.
Total online and offline sales over ‘Panic Weekend’ (16th – 17th Dec). 2023 actuals, 2024 forecast.
| Total spend (£bn) | Offline spend (£bn) | Online spend (£bn) | |
| ‘Super Saturday’ 21st | £1.53 | £1.11 | £0.42 |
| ‘Stampede Sunday’ 22nd | £1.51 | £1.14 | £0.38 |
| Total | £3.04 | £2.25 | £0.80 |
Super Saturday
Super Saturday (21st Dec) looks to be the busiest and most lucrative day in the run-up to Christmas with an impressive 21.2m people set to splurge £1.53bn – that’s 11.7 percent more than last year. With 15.6m shoppers predicted to spend £1.11bn in-store (+4.7 percent vs. 2023), high street sales will account for the majority of spending. A further 5.6m Brits are forecast to shop online, spending £0.42bn (+35.5 percent vs. last year).
Stampede Sunday
When it comes to ‘Stampede Sunday’ (22nd Dec), 13.6 million Brits are forecast to spend £1.14bn in stores. As well as shopping in person, a further 4.5 million people will be having a holly jolly clickmas spending £0.38 from the comfort of their homes as they rush to squeeze in orders before Christmas cut-off dates.
Total online and offline customer numbers over ‘Panic Weekend’ (16th – 17th Dec). 2023 actuals, 2024 forecast.
| Total customers (m) | Offline customers (m) | Online customers (m) | |
| ‘Super Saturday’ 21st | 21.2 | 15.6 | 5.6 |
| ‘Stampede Sunday’ 22nd | 18.1 | 13.6 | 4.5 |
| Total | 39.3 | 29.2 | 10.1 |
Michael Brandy, Senior Commercial Director at VoucherCodes.co.uk, comments: “With overall spend for Christmas expected to rise 4% this year, and Panic Weekend marking the most lucrative two days of the ten days leading up to Christmas, retailers should brace themselves for a welcome last-minute festive rush.
With just a few days left until Christmas, many consumers will be heading to the high street to pick up their presents in-person. This gives retailers the perfect opportunity to capture their attention with top-tier deals and discounts. Positioning in-demand items such as gift sets, winter accessories, and toys front and centre will help to lure panic-shoppers through the doors.”
Image courtesy of Pexels. Photo credit: Vladimir Srajber.
Share this story
Dec 2024/Jan 2025 issue
2024 A1 Buyers Guide
