Retailers ‘hold up well’ over Christmas in welcome end to trying year

Retailers “held up well” this Christmas, with a welcome boost to customer visits ending an otherwise trying year, figures show.

Footfall across all UK destinations was up 3.9% on last year in a “resilient” performance by retailers, but also suggesting consumers had more time for last-minute shopping thanks to Christmas falling later in the week, analysts MRI Software said.

Boxing Day footfall rose to 4.4% higher than last year, making it the “standout” trading day – the strongest increase witnessed in a decade, MRI said.

Retail parks led the way with an 8.8% uplift, while high streets saw a 3.6% year on year increase and shopping centre visits were up 2.1%.

Boxing Day uplift was driven by evening activity, with footfall between 5pm and 11pm up by an average of 9.6% on last year in a likely boost to leisure and hospitality venues.

Momentum carried into Saturday, with footfall up 1.6% year on year and high streets leading with a 2.4% increase in visitors while shopping centres recorded a slight 0.6% dip.

Jenni Matthews, retail analyst at MRI Software, said: “As family gatherings draw to a close and consumers look ahead to New Year’s Eve, footfall is expected to continue rising over the coming days.

“Shoppers are likely to remain focused on sales, festive events and attractions within towns and cities, and topping up on food and drink essentials, keeping the festive retail period firmly in motion.

“Taken together, these Christmas week trends provided a welcome boost for retailers following a challenging start to the year, highlighting both the importance of where Christmas falls in the calendar and the growing role of leisure-led footfall in maintaining seasonal performance; a trend which has remained strong throughout 2025.”

London’s West End saw footfall across December 26 and 27 increase by 1.5% compared with the same dates last year.

New West End Company chief executive Dee Corsi said: “On Boxing Day, footfall in the West End was up 1.7%, driven by particularly strong year-on-year growth on Oxford Street of 5%.

“West End businesses will now be hoping that that footfall translates into sales, ending the year on a positive note, despite wider cost pressures and a challenging economic picture nationally.”