​Another positive for Black Friday retail. UK footfall is expected to rise 2% on the day (29 November) as discounts unlock pent-up spending from bargain-focused, post-payday shoppers, according to RetailNext.

With Black Friday falling after payday – a week later than in 2023 – retailer discounting “is expected to unlock pent-up spending and prompt store visits”.

RetailNext, whose UK shopper traffic index captures billions of store visits globally each year, noted that shoppers withheld purchases in October, waiting for Black Friday deals “to make spending budgets go further and snap up early Christmas gifts at low prices”.

Gary Whittemore, head of Sales EMEA & APAC at RetailNext, said: “Black Friday is now an established festival of discounting, with many retailers offering up an entire month of discounting and some even starting Black Friday promotions as early as October.

“But while Black Friday discounting has become longer and more drawn-out, this hasn’t taken the shine off the event as a driver of in-store footfall performance, with the lure of bargains tempting shoppers to make store visits to pick-up deals.  And, with retailers also looking to sell-through on excess stocks after unseasonable weather earlier in 2024, shoppers may find even more discounts available this year over a greater assortment of goods.”