Downbeat footfall on Boxing Day saw less consumers hitting the High Street to shop the sales, according to data from Sensormatic Solutions, the leading global retail solutions portfolio of Johnson Controls.

Its ShopperTrak Analytics data, which captures 40billion store visits globally each year, showed that store visits yesterday (26 Dec 2025) fell -1.3% year-on-year.  

While shopper counts were down versus 2024, retail traffic still saw a +44.6% weekly Boxing Day boost, with Retail Parks seeing the greatest rise in footfall (+49.1% week-on-week).

“After what has been an unpredictable festive trading period, defined by shaky consumer confidence and spending hesitancy, retailers would have been counting on Boxing Day boost to shopper numbers in-store,” said Andy Sumpter, EMEA Retail Consultant at Sensormatic Solutions.

Online & early discounting shifts post-Xmas sales trends

“While Boxing Day remains an important trading period, the shape of the traditional post-Christmas sales period has shifted, with early discounting, online migration and some retailers opting to remain closed on the 26 Dec all contributing towards the changing nature of the event,” Sumpter continued.

With Black Friday accounting for a growing share of early-season, discount-led spending, and retailers launching Boxing Day deals online as early as Christmas Day, the urgency for consumers to rush into store to shop the sales has lessened.

Boxing Day has also evolved as retailers’ strategies have shifted, with some brands, such as Primark and Debenhams, launching very early discounts ahead of Christmas, while a growing number, including Next, John Lewis and M&S, now opt to keep stores closed on the 26 Dec to give staff an extra day off.

Retailers look to make up for lost ground

“While the days of consumers queuing outside Next stores at 5am on the 26 December to shop eagerly awaited sales may now be gone, the extended Boxing Day period remains a strategically significant trading window for retailers – especially as some look to make up for lost ground after softer demand earlier in the month,” Sumpter added.

Despite the slow start, data from Barclays Consumer Spending Index suggests shoppers will spend £3.6billion during the post-Christmas sales period.