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SHOPPERS are splashing a record £227 each on a £4.5billion ‘Panic Weekend’ – as 13 million Brits back The Sun’s call to “use or lose” high streets.
Spending per shopper is up around 30 per cent compared to a year ago, said the Centre for Retail Research, which surveyed shopping in cities countrywide this week in a study for VoucherCodes.co.uk.
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It means the amount spent this weekend will match 2019, despite shopper totals being down 30 per cent year-on-year.
Experts say the high street splurge is being driven by Brits’ desire to complete shopping well in advance of Christmas amid jitters over tier changes next week, Brexit and delivery delays deterring web spending.
It means ‘Panic Weekend’ is this weekend – a week earlier than its usual final weekend before Christmas.
With another rush today, 260,000 shoppers are expected at Birmingham’s Bullring across yesterday and today, with 210,000 at Manchester’s Trafford Centre, 130,000 at Lakeside, Essex, and 100,000 at London’s Brent Cross.
Retail bosses say it is “use it or lose it” for shops and pubs after lockdowns wiped out trade, with tens of thousands of job losses feared in January if they have a bad Christmas.
Around £4.5bn is being spent this weekend – £2.5bn in shops, £1.5bn online, £150m in pubs and £400m in restaurants, retail and hospitality data trends show, allowing for Tier 3 areas which have closed bars and diners.
The £2.5bn spent in shops by 11m Brits works out at £227 per shopper. Big pre-Christmas family food shops are boosting the total. It is understood to be a record per-person spend so far from Christmas.
Two million Brits are hitting pubs this weekend, hospitality data trends showed.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the Centre for Retail Research, said: “Footfall is down on a year ago – but our research this week shows overall spending will be the same as last year.
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“There are fewer shoppers but they are spending more. Our researchers are finding the same thing, whether it is in London, Birmingham, Manchester, York or Edinburgh.
“People are getting their shopping completed further ahead of Christmas than usual.
“This is due to uncertainty over tier changes and Brexit, and with people now preferring shops over online due to delivery issues close to Christmas.
“Retail sales are building well. It’s helping high streets, as if people want shops to still be here in January after the year they’ve had, it’s a case of use it or lose it.
“Plenty of people are in stores, with social distancing and extended opening hours helping to keep people safe.”
Sir Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology at Manchester Business School, said: “Good morale is encouraging spending, boosted by helping local businesses, Christmas cheering people up and the start of vaccinations.”
Yesterday, millions of Brits blew a total of £1.7billion in the shops.
The splurge works out at over £3million every minute over nine hours trading.
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Bargain hunters were seen flocking to high streets across the UK in a pre-Christmas spending bonanza.
Oxford Street was thronged with Saturday shoppers as Brits splashed the cash along London’s retail epicentre.
Worried Londoners fearing a plunge into Tier 3 within days — shutting pubs and restaurants — brought forward their last-minute shop by a week.
Around 60,000 shoppers are expected today at London’s Brent Cross, with 80,000 at Lakeside, Essex, and 130,000 at Manchester’s Trafford Centre.
Pandemic-weary Brits in Leeds, West Yorkshire and Newcastle were also pictured packing out hard-hit high streets.
HIGH STREET SPLURGE
Shopper numbers are hit when bars and diners are closed, as traditional Christmas shopping days out end with drinks or a meal.
Websites are also expected to be shunned in favour of high streets, amid fears online deliveries will not arrive for Christmas.
Some Royal Mail second class post is taking more than two weeks, Amazon sellers have said.
And some fear shortages of goods amid imports chaos at ports.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Primark fans queued overnight for a 36-hour shopping bonanza.
The High Street chain is opening its doors for an around-the-clock marathon shopping spree.
It is believed Middlesborough Primark is one of the stores that will open for 36 hours on the weekend before Christmas, according to Teeside Live.
Some Primark stores opened for 24-hours to help people shop safely after lockdown lifted in England on December 2.
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Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the Centre for Retail Research, said: “Saturday will be a big day.
“Spending is happening earlier this year.
“Some who combine shopping with meals out know they might not be able to do that next weekend.
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“More customers will be in shops as most purchases will now be through stores, as shoppers are aware of delivery issues online.
“More people are spending now as they are concerned in-demand goods may run out closer to Christmas.”
How would the rules change if London goes into Tier 3?
If London is moved from Tier 2 to Tier 3, the main difference in restrictions is related to social gatherings, which will come as huge blow with just nine days before Christmas day.
In Tier 2, people can meet in groups of six outside – including places such as public spaces, private gardens and outdoor areas of pubs or restaurants.
Hospitality venues can also stay open as long as they serve a “substantial meal” with all sales of alcohol.
But in Tier 3, all hospitality venues would have to close.
People in Tier 3 must not meet with people from different households, unless they have a support bubble.
There are some limited exceptions to this – meaning groups of up to six people could meet in some outdoor public places such as parks, beaches, public gardens and playgrounds.
Shops, gyms and hairdressers can remain open in Tier 3.
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