More than a quarter of Britons plan to go shopping in the Boxing Day sales today, and they are set to spend more than they did last year. 

Half of these shoppers plan to brave the crowds on the high street, according to Barclays, with the rest seeking bargains online. 

Those who go shopping have an average budget of £253, an increase of £17 from last year.

However, there will be fewer shoppers hitting the sales. Barclays has forecast that 26 per cent of Britons will do so, down from 28 per cent in 2024. 

This, it said, will drive down the total spend to £3.6billion, which is £1billion less than in 2024. 

The drop is due to stretched household budgets, with 69 per cent of people saying cost pressures will impact their spending this year, up from 47 per cent in 2024. 

Across the full festive sales period, 44 per cent of Britons say they will go shopping with the vast majority planning to do at least some of their deal hunting in-store. 

Chief on shoppers’ wish lists are clothes, shoes and accessories, chosen by 37 per cent, followed by food and drink, beauty and homeware. 

Concerns over higher costs mean that a quarter say they will only buy what they consider to be essentials. Nearly half of those planning to buy beauty and skincare products over the festive period will use the sales to pick up their usual products at a lower price.

Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, 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 and seek out the best deals.’

Two in five said they preferred online shopping to in-store. Retailers would need to offer in-store-only discounts or free items with purchases to entice more shoppers, according to Barclays data.

For those who prefer to shop from the comfort of their home, 37 per cent are turning to artificial intelligence to hunt for deals, research products, and compare prices. This figure rises to 53 per cent for 18-34 year olds, although half worry that the tools may encourage overspending.

Johnson added: ‘Despite this, many still enjoy the social and sensory experience of visiting stores. Those that do hit the high street might benefit both from bigger budgets, perhaps having held out for the sales, and potentially less competition, from fewer sales shoppers.

‘Boxing Day is still a pivotal moment for retailers, fuelled by Christmas nostalgia, but it has evolved to reflect modern consumer demands. This year, we’re likely to see a balanced blend of online convenience, experiential retail and increasingly mindful purchasing.’