UK Retailers See Surge in Sales on December 23

  • Last-minute shoppers drive footfall surge ahead of Christmas
  • UK retailers see 28.5% increase in footfall on December 23
  • Shopping centre footfall up by 45.5%, retail parks up 31.1%
  • High street footfall grows 18.8% week-on-week
  • Cost of living pressures continue for many families
  • Consumers expected to spend £1.46bn on December 23, a 6.6% increase from last year

UK retailers experienced a significant surge in footfall ahead of Christmas, with data from MRI Software showing a 28.5% increase on December 23. Shopping centres saw the highest growth at 45.5%, followed by retail parks at 31.1%. High streets also enjoyed an 18.8% week-on-week rise in footfall. Despite this, footfall remained 5.3% lower than the same date last year. MRI Marketing and Insights Director Jenni Matthews attributes the spike to the attraction of leisure and retail options for last-minute gift shopping and groceries. VoucherCodes.co.uk predicts consumers spent £1.46bn, a 6.6% increase from the previous year.

Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate and objective information about the increase in footfall on December 23rd for shopping in the UK, citing data from MRI Software and VoucherCodes.co.uk’s Shopping for Christmas Report. It also includes a relevant quote from Jenni Matthews discussing potential spending trends for the new year. However, it ends abruptly without concluding the roundup of best new stores as promised.
Noise Level: 6
Noise Justification: The article provides some relevant information about shopping trends and footfall data during the Christmas season but also includes some irrelevant details such as mentioning the year 2024 in the last sentence, which is not yet here.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses retail sales and footfall trends in the UK, which have financial relevance as they impact businesses and consumer spending. It mentions a 6.6% increase in spending on December 23 compared to the previous year, but does not directly mention any specific companies or markets being impacted.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Extreme Rating Justification: There is no mention of an extreme event in this article.

Reported publicly: www.retailgazette.co.uk