UK Shoppers Predicted To Spend £10.2bn In Black Friday Sales

• 43 per cent plan to shop in the Black Friday sales, spending £430 each on average 
• 68 per cent of UK adults are sceptical about the true value of Black Friday offers, while 44 per cent no longer look forward to seasonal sales as much as they used to
• 17 per cent of Gen Z consumers intend to use AI to source the best deals, three times higher than older generations
• Those aged 18-27 are also most likely to hit the high street this Black Friday, whereas Baby Boomers are most inclined to shop online
• The Barclays Consumer Spend report combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research to provide an in-depth view of UK spending

Black Friday shoppers expect to spend an average of £430 each in upcoming sales – £91 more than last year – amounting to over £10.2 billion. Two in five UK adults (43 per cent) will be on the hunt for deals (up from 37 per cent in 2024), rising to 76 per cent among Gen Z.

One in four (26 per cent) have been saving money to spend during the Black Friday/Christmas sales period, which, combined with pre-Budget anticipation, contributed to subdued spending in October, when Barclays Spend data shows retail recorded its steepest fall (-0.5 per cent) since November 2024. 

Amid ongoing cost pressures, consumers are making savvy decisions ahead of the festive season. Of those participating in Black Friday, 45 per cent plan to pick up Christmas gifts at a discount and 19 per cent will prioritise essential purchases over luxury items. Other popular planned purchases include clothing (39 per cent), electronics (28 per cent), and beauty products (24 per cent). 

Sale scepticism grows, but shoppers use social media and AI to find true value 

Demonstrating the enduring popularity of Black Friday, Barclays’ proprietary data shows that Black Friday 2024 (29^th November) was the busiest day of the year for transactions, with retail volumes up 83.7 per cent in comparison to the daily average. While three in 10 (29 per cent) still consider the annual event as the best time bag a bargain, sales scepticism is beginning to set in.  

Almost half (44 per cent) say they do not look forward to the seasonal sales as much as they used to. Seven in 10 (68 per cent) are doubtful about the real value of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, and a similar proportion (65 per cent) believe such sales events encourage unnecessary spending. 

Barclays Consumer Spend research shows that 8 per cent of UK adults will use tools such as Gemini and ChatGPT to source and compare deals, doubling for Gen Z, at 17 per cent. Across all age groups, one in eight (13 per cent) believe AI tools are more effective than traditional search engines when it comes to deal hunting, suggesting use of this technology as an aid to sales shopping will increase next year.

Gen Z leading high street resurgence 

Across all age groups, 69 per cent of those shopping this Black Friday plan to shop online, compared to the one in three (34 per cent) who plan to shop in-store. Younger shoppers are most likely to shop in-person, at 40 per cent for those aged 18-27. In contrast, Baby Boomers (aged 60-78) are the most likely generation to browse the sales online, at 81 per cent. Social e-commerce platforms such as TikTok shop, are set to be a popular choice for Gen Z shoppers, at 45 per cent – three times the 15 per cent for shoppers aged 28 or over.

Of those planning to shop in-person, over half (55 per cent) will visit shopping centres, 39 per cent will head to their local high street, and 28 per cent will venture to their closest major city. The most popular reasons for shopping in-store on Black Friday are assessing product quality in person (35 per cent), discovering unexpected deals (27 per cent) and avoiding delivery costs (25 per cent).

Rohan Kumar, Head of Barclays Spend Insights, said: “Our historical transaction data proves that Black Friday remains a vital retail milestone, with volumes typically spiking on the day itself. October’s slowdown was potentially a signal that this year’s sale will outperform 2024, after shoppers held out for discounts and deals. With any luck, retailers will see a considerable spike and food and drink businesses will benefit from the resulting footfall.” 

Harshna Cayley, Head of Payment Acceptance at Barclaycard Payments, said: “Retailers will undoubtedly be hopeful that a Black Friday boost will set the tone for a strong ‘Golden Quarter’ this year. The sales event is now more of a marathon than a sprint, with 60 per cent of shoppers starting their search as early as October, presenting businesses with ample opportunity to engage savvy consumers on the hunt for deals.”

Source : Barclays

Image : Shutterstock / 731488546 / ComicSans

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