Black Friday footfall delivered a “mixed start” for retailers, as store traffic performance fluctuated, the latest data from Sensormatic Solutions reveals.  

According to insight from its ShopperTrak Analytics platform, which captures 40billion store visits globally each year, retail visits on Black Friday decreased -3% year-on-year, as consumer caution and constrained purchasing power curbed demand. 

Budget fallout disrupts demand patterns

“Consumer caution is disrupting demand patterns, shifting buying behaviours and creating spend hesitancy. This is due in part to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Autumn Budget, which landed just two days before Black Friday,” said Andy Sumpter, Sensormatic Solutions EMEA Retail Consultant.

However, in the week leading up to Black Friday, shopper traffic improved +1.1% year-on-year (22 – 28 Nov 2025 vs 23 – 29 Nov 2024), with High Street store counts rising +2.8% compared to 2024 across the same period.

Footfall also improved +54.9% week-on-week and jumped +78.5% compared to the average across the previous two Fridays.

Retail Parks saw the greatest uptick in store visits, rising +0.2% year-on-year yesterday (28 Nov 2025), while week-on-week Shopping Centres were the top performing retail destination, with footfall rising +63.8% compared to the week prior.

“Despite a mixed start, retailers have cause for cautious optimism, with polling suggesting it’s a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’ consumers will buy.

Andy Sumpter, EMEA Retail Consultant, Sensormatic Solutions

“Retailers will be counting on shoppers hitting the High Street as we head into the rest of the Black Friday weekend, hoping to capitalise on sales,” Sumpter added.

Demand for discounts

While Sensormatic Solutions 2025 report showed 70% of UK shoppers plan to visit a store during the Black Friday period, they will be more cautious in their buying decisions; nearly three quarters (73%) will take more time searching out discounts – up +4 percentage points year-on-year.

“Even though many retailers started their BFCM promotions early as is now tradition, many shoppers are still holding out for the best deal.  Retailers will need to react dynamically to drive up demand whilst balancing out the margin implications of deep discounting,” Sumpter added.

Looking ahead to BFCM and beyond

Black Friday performance is expected to improve across the rest of the weekend. 

Today (Sat, 29 Nov 2025), is expected to be the second busiest in-store shopping day of the entire Peak Trading period, according to Sensormatic Solutions predictions. 

Additionally, the rest of the season’s predicted busiest days are still on the horizon, with the footfall peak expected to take place in the final few days leading up to Christmas.  

Super Saturday (20 Dec 2025) is expected to be the top busiest day for stores, while the last full shopping day before Christmas (Tue, 23 Dec 2025) is tipped to be the third busiest day for footfall.