SHOPPERS are set to shell out an average £253 in Boxing Day sales today, figures show.
Budgets are up from £236 last year — but fewer are tipped to dive into deals amid cost-of-living pressure.
In total, consumers are expected to splurge some £3.6billion. It comes as 69 per cent of Brits say cost pressures will impact their spending, up from 47 per cent last year.
In-store shopping will remain a staple, with around half preferring to hunt bargains in person.
Meanwhile, 40 per cent will seek deals online and 37 per cent will use artificial intelligence to help find the best prices.
Clothes, shoes and accessories top the wish lists of buyers, chosen by 37 per cent, after subdued spending on many of those items during the year.
Food and drink (27 per cent), beauty products (20 per cent), homeware (20 per cent) and discounted festive items (19 per cent) will also be in demand.
Because of the cost-of-living crisis, a quarter will only be purchasing what they deem to be essentials. The research was carried out by Barclays.
Karen Johnson, head of retail at the bank, said: “Shoppers have demonstrated just how cost-conscious they are throughout 2025, and we expect that we’ll see this play out during the Boxing Day sales, particularly with AI empowering consumers to shop smarter.”
