Drop in Boxing Day sales footfall as Brits opt to spend their money online

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Analysis of popular shopping areas on Thursday showed footfall was down 10.6 per cent from last year across all UK retail destinations until 10am and down 9.4 per cent until 12pm. open image in gallery Shoppers enter the store at the start of the Boxing Day sales at the Harrods store in Knightsbridge The next largest decline in footfall - measured by MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index - was 11.1 per cent in Greater London, measured by MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, said the data marked a “major contrast” with last year’s data, which was almost 3 per cent higher than the year before. “Could that be suggestive of shoppers front-loading their spending in a pre-Christmas rush?” open image in gallery The drop in footfall comes after major retailers including Next, Marks & Spencer and John Lewis announced they will not open their bricks and mortar stores on Boxing Day. “There were many, many sales that kicked off just before Christmas Day as well, we saw some stores launch their sales on Christmas Eve, on December 23, so a lot of people will have grabbed a bargain then as well.” open image in gallery Shoppers on Oxford Street, London, during the Boxing Day sales A study by Barclays Consumer Spend researchers also found although people may not have shown up on the High Street, they would likely be making the majority of their Boxing Day purchases online.