- Shoppers expected to spend £9.14bn this Black Friday Weekend (29th Nov – 2nd Dec) – up 4.5 percent YoY
- Black Friday sales up 5.6 percent YoY to £3.18bn
- Offline sales to rise 9.1 percent YoY as shoppers head in-store for discounts (£4.29bn)
- £23.70bn expected to be spent over the two-week Black Friday period (22nd Nov – 6th Dec), up 4.5 percent YoY
This Black Friday weekend the UK is forecast to spend £9.14bn as consumers take advantage of discounts and deals to save on their Christmas shopping.
VoucherCodes.co.uk’s Shopping for Christmas 2024: The Black Friday sales report predicts this year Black Friday weekend sales will soar 4.5 percent from the £8.74bn spent last year. With Black Friday falling later in 2024 and retailers launching their deals increasingly early, shoppers will be bringing their spending forward to snap up the best bargains.
Whilst shoppers are predicted to spend the most on Cyber Monday at £3.33bn, sales will fall a marginal -0.5 percent YoY. Black Friday (£3.18bn) and the Saturday and Sunday (£2.63bn) will all see significant increases in spending compared to last year, with sales predicted to spike 5.6 percent and 10.2 percent respectively.
Total UK Black Friday Weekend sales, 2021-2023 actuals, 2024 forecast
| Sales (£bn) | Growth (YoY%) | ||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 (f) | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 (f) | |
| Black Friday | £3.20 | £3.01 | £3.02 | £3.18 | -5.8% | -0.2% | 5.6% |
| Saturday/ Sunday | £2.29 | £2.53 | £2.39 | £2.63 | 10.4% | -5.5% | 10.2% |
| Cyber Monday | £3.15 | £3.17 | £3.34 | £3.33 | 0.3% | 5.6% | -0.5% |
| Total | £8.64 | £8.71 | £8.74 | £9.14 | 0.8% | 0.4% | 4.5% |
As the report shows, for the first time since 2022 offline Black Friday weekend sales are set to increase 9.1 percent YoY to £4.29bn as shoppers head to stores to scout out bargains in-person. However, the ease of online shopping means this remains the most popular way to spend this Black Friday with sales hitting £4.85bn.
Following the same pattern as the last couple of years, retailers are starting their Black Friday promotions as early, with some beginning in October. This means that over the wider two-week Black Friday period consumers are expected to spend £23.70bn – an additional £1.03bn or 4.5 percent on last year.
Although Black Friday sales are up this year, many consumers are moving towards Green Friday, favouring a more sustainable approach to their Christmas shopping. Currently just 9 percent of consumers are aware of the event unprompted, but when informed one-third say they’d be keen to participate (32 percent).
Michael Brandy, Senior Commercial Director at VoucherCodes.co.uk, comments: “VoucherCodes’ Shopping for Christmas Report paints a very nice picture for retailers this Black Friday. With the end of the year inching closer, it’s a great opportunity for brands to capitalise on the bargain buzz and boost end of year sales.
The big winners from Black Friday will be brands who offer genuine savings to their customers and prioritise discounts on in-demand items, such as clothing and footwear, toys and electricals. With shoppers increasingly savvy at finding the best deals, prices will have to be competitive to encourage consumers to part with their hard-earned cash.”
Image courtesy of Pexels. Photo credit: Kaboompics.com.
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October 2024 issue
2024 A1 Buyers Guide
