Overall peak season spending in the UK increased by 3.6% year-on-year (YOY) across all payment types, including cash, according to data from Visa.

The Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA) Retail Spend Monitor analyses retail sales activity over a seven-week period from 1 November 2025.

Analysis from VCA of VisaNet data, covering billions of transactions annually, shows that despite lower YOY in-store footfall, over half (57.4%) of holiday payment volume occurred in physical stores while online retail spending rose by 5.8% YOY, driven by early season promotions and convenience.

Department stores were a standout brick-and-mortar performer, with transactions increasing by 3.9% YOY. By category, electronics sales increased by 8.4% as shoppers purchased personal tech while clothing sales rose by 3.0%.

“Retailers delivered seamless shopping experiences both in stores and online, and consumers responded with enthusiasm,” said Adolfo Laurenti, Chief Economist at Visa Europe. “This season also marked a turning point, with artificial intelligence beginning to shape how people discover products, compare prices, and interact with offers. This led to a more informed, more intentional consumer.”

Visa dta shows holiday spending momentum extended beyond the UK with notable annual increases in the US (+4.2%), Canada (+4.4%) and Australia (+5.0%).

“Insights from the Retail Spend Monitor help businesses adapt to changing consumer behaviours and prepare for the rapidly evolving future of commerce,” commented Alicia Ngomo Fernandez, head of VCA UK & Ireland.

The VCA Retail Spend Monitor figures are not adjusted for inflation and analyse retail sales activity using a subset of Visa payments network data in the UK and survey-based estimates for other payment methods.