New Year’s Day saw record foot flow in the UK’s high streets, as shoppers
returned Christmas gifts, spent gift vouchers and picked up online orders,
according to analysts Springboard.

Meanwhile, the traditional Boxing Day sales frenzy proved to be an
anti-climax as earlier online demand meant retailers had sold much of their
pre-Christmas merchandise.

Traffic in retail parks and shopping centres also rose 10 percent on-year
on Thursday, according to Springboard. That compares with a 5 percent
decline in shopper numbers on the weekend after Christmas.

Diane Wehrle, Springboard’s marketing director, said the New Year’s Day
rebound was a reflection of changing shopping habits: “There’s a new
pattern emerging. This is the first year it’s been that evident.”

She said that part of the rise in shopper numbers was a reflection of
customers shopping online during the Christmas period. “75 percent of retailers have facilities for click-&-collect now. This is the
first year they have mastered it.”

Meanwhile, a wave of 500 million pounds of returned Christmas gifts was predicted
by LCP Consulting, boosted by the increase in the physical return of goods
bought online.
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